Abstract
Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can quantify muscle mass and quality. However, it is still unclear if CT and MRI derived measurements can be used interchangeable. In this prospective study, fifty consecutive participants of a cancer screening program underwent same day low-dose chest CT and MRI. Cross-sectional areas (CSA) of the paraspinal skeletal muscles were obtained. CT and MRI muscle fat infiltration (MFI) were assessed by mean radiodensity in Hounsfield units (HU) and proton density fat fraction (MRIPDFF), respectively. CSA and MFI were highly correlated between CT and MRI (CSA: r = 0.93, P < 0.001; MFI: r = − 0.90, P < 0.001). Mean CSA was higher in CT compared to MRI (46.6cm2 versus 43.0cm2; P = 0.05) without significance. Based on MRIPDFF, a linear regression model was established to directly estimate skeletal muscle fat content from CT. Bland–Altman plots showed a difference between measurements of − 0.5 cm2 to 7.6 cm2 and − 4.2% to 2.4% regarding measurements of CSA and MFI, respectively. In conclusion, the provided results indicate interchangeability of CT and MRI derived imaging biomarkers of skeletal muscle quantity and quality. Comparable to MRIPDFF, skeletal muscle fat content can be quantified from CT, which might have an impact of analyses in larger cohort studies, particularly in sarcopenia patients.
Highlights
Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can quantify muscle mass and quality
These landmarks are frequently not captured in several imaging protocols, sarcopenia is known to be a relevant factor in many chronic diseases
Mean cross-sectional area (CSA) of the paraspinal skeletal muscles was significantly higher in male patients compared to female patients in both computed tomography (CT) (51.8 ± 10.5 c m2 vs. 38 ± 4.8 c m2, P < 0.001) and MRI (47.4 ± 11.7 c m2 vs. 35.8 ± 4.1 cm[2], P < 0.001)
Summary
Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can quantify muscle mass and quality. The most common approaches to estimate skeletal muscle amount are determination of circumferential skeletal muscle area or psoas muscle area, both typically obtained at lumbar vertebral levels[1] These landmarks are frequently not captured in several imaging protocols, sarcopenia is known to be a relevant factor in many chronic diseases. The diagnosis is than confirmed by determination of low skeletal muscle quantity or quality, for which—as stated in these guidelines—both CT and MRI based measurements may be a pplied[1,5] It is unclear how CT and MRI derived measurements of skeletal muscles are related to one another and if obtained measurements of skeletal muscle mass and quality are interchangeable between imaging modalities. We aimed to (a) assess CSA and MFI measurements as surrogates of skeletal muscle mass and quality in CT and MRI in subjects who received both imaging modalities at the same day and (b) to compare measurements intra-individually to assess agreement between modalities for determination of skeletal muscle mass and quality
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