Validity of Extended-Field-of-View Ultrasound Imaging to Evaluate Quantity and Quality of Trunk Skeletal Muscles

Noriko I Tanaka; Madoka Ogawa; Akito Yoshiko; Hiroshi Akima

doi:10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2020.11.006

Validity of Extended-Field-of-View Ultrasound Imaging to Evaluate Quantity and Quality of Trunk Skeletal Muscles

Ultrasound Med Biol. 2021 Mar;47(3):376-385. doi: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2020.11.006. Epub 2020 Nov 29.

Authors

Noriko I Tanaka¹, Madoka Ogawa², Akito Yoshiko³, Hiroshi Akima⁴

Affiliations

¹ Research Center of Health, Physical Fitness and Sports, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan; Graduate School of Education & Human Development, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan. Electronic address: [email protected].
² Department of Exercise Physiology, Nippon Sport Science University, Tokyo, Japan.
³ School of International Liberal Studies, Chukyo University, Toyota-shi, Japan.
⁴ Research Center of Health, Physical Fitness and Sports, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan; Graduate School of Education & Human Development, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan.

PMID: 33267963
DOI: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2020.11.006

Abstract

This study examined the validity of extended-field-of-view (EFOV) ultrasound imaging for evaluating the quantity (cross-sectional area [CSA]) and quality (accumulation of intramuscular fat) of trunk skeletal muscles (rectus abdominis, abdominal oblique and erector spinae) using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as a reference. Thirty healthy young men participated in this study. Cross-sectional images of the trunk at the height of the third lumbar vertebra were acquired and compared by EFOV ultrasound imaging and MRI. No significant differences were observed in CSAs between the two methods (0.74 ≤ R² ≤ 0.85). Echo intensities significantly correlated with MRI-derived accumulation of intramuscular fat in each skeletal muscle group. However, the correlation coefficients were relatively low (0.37 ≤ r ≤0.47; p < 0.05). These results indicate that EFOV ultrasound imaging is a reliable method for assessing trunk skeletal muscle CSA. Further research is warranted to find the optimal ultrasound setting for evaluating muscle quality.

Keywords: Cross-sectional area; Echo intensity; Intramuscular fat; MRI; Panoramic image; Trunk skeletal muscle.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Abdominal Oblique Muscles / diagnostic imaging*
Adipose Tissue / diagnostic imaging
Humans
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Male
Muscle, Skeletal / diagnostic imaging
Rectus Abdominis / diagnostic imaging*
Reproducibility of Results
Thorax / diagnostic imaging
Ultrasonography / methods*
Young Adult