The amount of experience with ultrasonography may influence measurement outcomes while images are acquired or analyzed. The purpose of this study was to identify the interrater reliability of ultrasound image acquisition and image analysis between experienced and novice sonographers and image analysts, respectively. Following a brief hands-on training session (2 h), the experienced and novice sonographers and analysts independently performed image acquisition and analyses on the biceps brachii, vastus lateralis, and medial gastrocnemius in a sample of healthy participants (n = 17). Test–retest reliability statistics were computed for muscle thickness (transverse and sagittal planes), muscle cross-sectional area, echo intensity and subcutaneous adipose tissue thickness. The results show that image analysis experience generally has a greater impact on measurement outcomes than image acquisition experience. Interrater reliability for measurements of muscle size during image acquisition was generally good–excellent (ICC2,1: 0.82–0.98), but poor–moderate for echo intensity (ICC2,1: 0.43–0.77). For image analyses, interrater reliability for measurements of muscle size for the vastus lateralis and biceps brachii was poor–moderate (ICC2,1: 0.48–0.70), but excellent for echo intensity (ICC2,1: 0.90–0.98). Our findings have important implications for laboratories and clinics where members possess varying levels of ultrasound experience.
The patterns of EMG response emphasize the basis of neuromuscular fatigue and task dependency. Additionally, our data suggest that the EMG MNF should be used when monitoring the progression of local muscle fatigue.
This study examines the relationships between ultrasonography measurements of skeletal muscle size and echo intensity (EI) with muscle strength and local muscle endurance in a habitually resistance-trained population. Twenty young, healthy participants underwent imaging of the biceps brachii in the sagittal and transverse planes and with the extended field of view (EFOV) technique. Linear regression was used to examine measures of muscle thickness (MT), muscle cross-sectional area (mCSA), EI, and corrected EI (cEI) in each scanning plane for their associations with strength (1RM biceps curl) and local muscle endurance (4x failure @ 50%1RM). The strongest predictor of 1RM strength and local muscle endurance was sagittal MT (adj. R2 = 0.682) and sagittal cEI (adj. R2 = 0.449), respectively. Strength and transverse MT (R2 = 0.661) and the EFOV mCSA (R2 = 0.643) demonstrated a positive relationship. Local muscle endurance and cEI in the transverse plane (R2 = 0.265) and the EFOV scan (R2 = 0.309) demonstrated a negative relationship. No associations were shown with uncorrected EI. While each scanning plane supports the muscle size-strength and echogenicity-endurance relationships, sagittal plane imaging demonstrated the strongest associations with muscle fitness. These findings provide important methodological insights regarding ultrasound imaging and muscle fitness relationships.
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