Abstract
BackgroundSkeletal muscles undergo changes with ageing which can cause sarcopenia that can result in frailty. Quantitative MRI may detect the muscle-deficit component of frailty which could help improve the understanding of ageing muscles.AimsTo investigate whether quantitative MRI measures of T2, fat fraction (FF), diffusion tensor imaging and muscle volume can detect differences within the muscles between three age groups, and to assess how these measures compare with frailty index, gait speed and muscle power.Methods18 ‘young’ (18–30 years), 18 ‘middle-aged’ (31–68 years) and 18 ‘older’ (> 69 years) healthy participants were recruited. Participants had an MRI of their dominant thigh. Knee extension and flexion power and handgrip strength were measured. Frailty (English Longitudinal Study of Ageing frailty index) and gait speed were measured in the older participants.ResultsYoung participants had a lower muscle MRI T2, FF and mean diffusivity than middle-aged and older participants; middle-aged participants had lower values than older participants. Young participants had greater muscle flexion and extension power, muscle volume and stronger hand grip than middle-aged and older participants; middle-aged participants had greater values than the older participants. Quantitative MRI measurements correlated with frailty index, gait speed, grip strength and muscle power.DiscussionQuantitative MRI and strength measurements can detect muscle differences due to ageing. Older participants had raised T2, FF and mean diffusivity and lower muscle volume, grip strength and muscle power.ConclusionsQuantitative MRI measurements correlate with frailty and muscle function and could be used for identifying differences across age groups within muscle.
Highlights
The increasing proportion of older people in the population (461 million above 65 in 2004 to an estimated 2 billion by 2050 [1]) has significant implications for the planning and delivery of health and social care
Descriptive data for quantitative Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and muscle power/volume measurements are shown in Tables 1and 2
This study has shown that MRI T2, fat fraction (FF), Mean diffusivity (MD), muscle volume differs across age groups
Summary
The increasing proportion of older people in the population (461 million above 65 in 2004 to an estimated 2 billion by 2050 [1]) has significant implications for the planning and delivery of health and social care. Muscle health deteriorates with age, resulting in sarcopenia, reduced muscle mass and strength [2]. Aims To investigate whether quantitative MRI measures of T2, fat fraction (FF), diffusion tensor imaging and muscle volume can detect differences within the muscles between three age groups, and to assess how these measures compare with frailty index, gait speed and muscle power. Young participants had greater muscle flexion and extension power, muscle volume and stronger hand grip than middle-aged and older participants; middle-aged participants had greater values than the older participants. Quantitative MRI measurements correlated with frailty index, gait speed, grip strength and muscle power. Older participants had raised T2, FF and mean diffusivity and lower muscle volume, grip strength and muscle power. Conclusions Quantitative MRI measurements correlate with frailty and muscle function and could be used for identifying differences across age groups within muscle
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