Calibrated quantitative ultrasound imaging of skeletal muscle using backscatter analysis

Abstract

We evaluated the ability of an ultrasound method, which can characterize cardiac muscle pathology and has reliability across different imaging systems, to obtain calibrated quantitative estimates of backscatter of skeletal muscle. Our procedure utilized a tissue-mimicking phantom to establish a linear relationship between ultrasound grayscale and backscatter levels. We studied skeletal muscles of 82 adults: 45 controls and 37 patients with hereditary myopathies. We found that skeletal muscle ultrasound backscatter levels varied with probe orientation, age, and muscle contraction and pathology. Reliability was greater with the probe in longitudinal compared with transverse planes. Backscatter levels were higher in those >40 years of age, in muscle extension than flexion, and in myopathic patients than controls. Calibrated measurements of muscle backscatter have sensitivity and specificity in identifying and reliably measuring levels of skeletal muscle pathology.

Neuromuscular ultrasound: Emerging from the twilight

“…Ultrasound also can also sensitively detect changes in the echogenicity of muscle once histopathologic changes occur. 5 This finding, originally described by Heckmatt and Dubowitz, has been further confirmed in recent studies by Arts et al, 6 Pillen et al, 7 Zaidman et al, 8 and Rutkove et al, 9 which show how these changes can be quantified and used to detect even subtle disorders of muscle.…”

“…There are a number of excellent journals in the areas of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Neurology, which are all appropriate venues, but M&N [3][4][5][6][7][8]10,11,13,15,16,19,20 has established itself as the journal with the largest number of published studies relevant to this emerging field, and its scope aligns perfectly with this new technology. Furthermore, neurologists, physiatrists, and clinical neurophysiologists, individuals who make up the majority of subscribers to the journal, are those most able to critique manuscripts and develop the technology.…”

Peripheral nerve size in normals and patients with polyneuropathy: An ultrasound study

“…All denied histories of neuromuscular symptoms, disorders involving the studied limbs, and diabetes mellitus. We also enrolled patients with acquired axonal neuropathy (36), CIDP (36), GBS (17), and demyelinating CMT-1A (11). Subjects with polyneuropathies were recruited from the electrodiagnostic laboratory, outpatient clinic, and hospital inpatient services.…”

“…Most subjects were seated with the entire arm anteriorly extended, supinated, and supported by a pillow on a table at approximately mid-thoracic height. 17 Hospitalized subjects were examined in the supine position with the arm supinated, abducted, and supported at body level. Median and ulnar nerves were chosen for study, as they are easily imaged at several sites along their length.…”

Advances in Quantitative Muscle Ultrasonography Using Texture Analysis of Ultrasound Images

“…The muscle quality is commonly assessed through the quantification of the mean echo intensity by gray-scale analysis of a region of interest (ROI). This numerical parameter is highly dependent on the ultrasound scanner settings (Pillen et al 2009b;Zaidman et al 2008).…”