Evaluation of interrater reliability of different muscle segmentation techniques in diffusion tensor imaging

Forsting, Johannes; Rehmann, Robert; Rohm, Marlena; Froeling, Martijn; Schlaffke, Lara

doi:10.1002/nbm.4430

Cited by 9 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 41 publications

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“…A recently published study by our group showed higher accuracy of VBT compared to MSB in healthy thigh muscles [ 6 ]. In contrast to those findings, similar outcomes for both techniques were found in calf muscles.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Participants were instructed to lie still in a feet-first supine position. The MRI protocol was similar to our previous study in thigh muscles and included proton density-weighted (PD), T2-weighted (T2w), diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), and a Dixon fat-quantification sequence (mDixonquant) in an axial slice order from proximal to distal (total acquisition time 18 min) [ 6 ]. To avoid shimming artifacts due to the large field of view (FOV), the calf region was divided into two FOVs of 480 × 264 × 150 mm 3 along the z -axis (stacks).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Only within these resulting segments of diffusion data, whole muscle tractography was performed with the toolbox MRIToolkit using the following fiber tracking stop parameters: maximum angle 15°, step size 1.5mm, FA range 0.1–0.6 [ 18 , 20 ]. The DTI parameters were extracted for each individual muscle using tract-based sampling (see Figure 1 ) [ 6 ]. Furthermore, tract properties tract density (TD)—defined as the number of tracts per volume—mean tract length (MTL), volume (Vol), and mean angle were calculated for resulting fiber tracts for each muscle separately.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This technique is called volume-based tractography (VBT). In a previous study by our group, VBTshowed high inter-rater reliability and high sensitivity to detect intermuscular variances regarding diffusion parameters in healthy thigh muscles [ 6 ]. An advantage of tractography is that it provides additional information about the muscle architecture and microstructure, such as fiber tract length, pennation angle, muscle volume, and fiber tract count [ 7 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Therefore, it is essential to know to what extent different raters influence diffusion metrics assessed by different segmentation techniques. Inter-rater reliability of VBT in comparison with gold standard MSB has been validated in healthy thigh muscles, but little is known about how they compare in NMD [ 6 ]. A low rater dependency would suggest that pooling data between multiple centers is feasible.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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High Inter-Rater Reliability of Manual Segmentation and Volume-Based Tractography in Healthy and Dystrophic Human Calf Muscle

et al. 2021

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Background: Muscle diffusion tensor imaging (mDTI) is a promising surrogate biomarker in the evaluation of muscular injuries and neuromuscular diseases. Since mDTI metrics are known to vary between different muscles, separation of different muscles is essential to achieve muscle-specific diffusion parameters. The commonly used technique to assess DTI metrics is parameter maps based on manual segmentation (MSB). Other techniques comprise tract-based approaches, which can be performed in a previously defined volume. This so-called volume-based tractography (VBT) may offer a more robust assessment of diffusion metrics and additional information about muscle architecture through tract properties. The purpose of this study was to assess DTI metrics of human calf muscles calculated with two segmentation techniques—MSB and VBT—regarding their inter-rater reliability in healthy and dystrophic calf muscles. Methods: 20 healthy controls and 18 individuals with different neuromuscular diseases underwent an MRI examination in a 3T scanner using a 16-channel Torso XL coil. DTI metrics were assessed in seven calf muscles using MSB and VBT. Coefficients of variation (CV) were calculated for both techniques. MSB and VBT were performed by two independent raters to assess inter-rater reliability by ICC analysis and Bland-Altman plots. Next to analysis of DTI metrics, the same assessments were also performed for tract properties extracted with VBT. Results: For both techniques, low CV were found for healthy controls (≤13%) and neuromuscular diseases (≤17%). Significant differences between methods were found for all diffusion metrics except for λ1. High inter-rater reliability was found for both MSB and VBT (ICC ≥ 0.972). Assessment of tract properties revealed high inter-rater reliability (ICC ≥ 0.974). Conclusions: Both segmentation techniques can be used in the evaluation of DTI metrics in healthy controls and different NMD with low rater dependency and high precision but differ significantly from each other. Our findings underline that the same segmentation protocol must be used to ensure comparability of mDTI data.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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High Inter-Rater Reliability of Manual Segmentation and Volume-Based Tractography in Healthy and Dystrophic Human Calf Muscle

et al. 2021

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Robustness and stability of volume‐based tractography in a multicenter setting

et al. 2022

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Muscle diffusion tensor imaging (mDTI)-based tractography is a promising tool with which to detect subclinical changes in muscle injuries and to evaluate pathophysiology in neuromuscular diseases. Classic region of interest (ROI)-based tractography is very time-consuming and requires an examiner with extensive experience. (Semi)automatic approaches such as volume-based tractography (VBT) can diminish this problem but its robustness and stability are unknown. The aim of

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Prospective longitudinal cohort study of quantitative muscle magnetic resonance imaging in a healthy control population

Forsting,

Rehmann,

Rohm

et al. 2024

NMR in Biomedicine

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Quantitative muscle magnetic resonance imaging (qMRI) is a valuable methodology for assessing muscular injuries and neuromuscular disorders. Notably, muscle diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) gives insights into muscle microstructural and macrostructural characteristics. However, the long‐term reproducibility and robustness of these measurements remain relatively unexplored. The purpose of this prospective longitudinal cohort study was to assess the long‐term robustness and range of variation of qMRI parameters, especially DTI metrics, in the lower extremity muscles of healthy controls under real‐life conditions. Twelve volunteers (seven females, age 44.1 ± 12.1 years, body mass index 23.3 ± 2.0 kg/m2) underwent five leg muscle MRI sessions every 20 ± 4 weeks over a total period of 1.5 years. A multiecho gradient‐echo Dixon‐based sequence, a multiecho spin‐echo T2‐mapping sequence, and a spin‐echo echo planar imaging diffusion‐weighted sequence were acquired bilaterally with a Philips 3‐T Achieva MR System using a 16‐channel torso coil. Fifteen leg muscles were segmented in both lower extremities. qMRI parameters, including fat fraction (FF), water T2 relaxation time, and the diffusion metrics fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD), were evaluated. Coefficients of variance (wsCV) and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were calculated to assess the reproducibility of qMRI parameters. The standard error of measurement (SEM) and the minimal detectable change (MDC) were calculated to determine the range of variation. All tests were applied to all muscles and, subsequently, to each muscle separately. wsCV showed good reproducibility (≤ 10%) for all qMRI parameters in all muscles. The ICCs revealed excellent agreement between time points (FF = 0.980, water T2 = 0.941, FA = 0.952, MD = 0.948). Random measurement errors assessed by SEM and the MDC were low (< 12%). In conclusion, in this study, we showed that qMRI parameters in healthy volunteers living normal lives are stable over 18 months, thereby defining a benchmark for the expected range of variation over time.

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Evaluation of interrater reliability of different muscle segmentation techniques in diffusion tensor imaging

Cited by 9 publications

References 41 publications

High Inter-Rater Reliability of Manual Segmentation and Volume-Based Tractography in Healthy and Dystrophic Human Calf Muscle

High Inter-Rater Reliability of Manual Segmentation and Volume-Based Tractography in Healthy and Dystrophic Human Calf Muscle

Robustness and stability of volume‐based tractography in a multicenter setting

Prospective longitudinal cohort study of quantitative muscle magnetic resonance imaging in a healthy control population

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