Difference In Muscle Thickness Research Articles

Rehabilitative ultrasound imaging of the levator scapula muscle at rest and during contraction: Technical description and reliability

BackgroundAltered scapular muscle activity is associated with abnormal scapular motions and shoulder pain. Hence, quantification of these activities is a challenging issue. Objectives: The purposes of this study were to establish the reliability of measuring levator scapula muscle thickness and to examine how thickness of this muscle changes with contraction. MethodsTwenty-one asymptomatic individuals (mean age 22.29 ± 2.17 years) participated in this study. Three separate ultrasound images of the levator scapula muscle were captured at the neck-shoulder junction at rest and during a loaded isometric contraction. The procedures were repeated twice, four to seven days apart to establish intra-rater test-retest reliability. Interclass correlation coefficients (ICC) and standard error of measurement (SEM) were used to determine the reliability, and a paired t-test was performed to examine the difference in muscle thickness between two conditions. ResultsThe results demonstrated that intra-examiner reliability was good at rest (ICC = 0.88, SEM = 1.16 mm) and excellent during loaded isometric contraction (ICC = 0.95, SEM = 0.91 mm). Furthermore, the thickness of levator scapula muscle significantly increased from rest to the loaded isometric contraction (Effect size = 1.99, P < 0.001). ConclusionThis study demonstrates that the thickness of the levator scapula muscle can be measured reliably at the neck-shoulder junction. Furthermore, ultrasound measures can reliably detect changes in muscle thickness from rest to a contracted state. Therefore, if the need exists to evaluate muscle morphology before and after any treatment strategy, thickness measurement of levator scapula can be determined reliably using ultrasound.

Differences in muscle thickness and echo intensity between stroke survivors and age- and sex-matched healthy older adults.

The stroke survivors exhibit change in muscle quantity and quality compared to healthy older adults. This study aimed to compare the muscle thickness (MT) and echo intensity (EI) values of individual muscles between stroke survivors and age- and sex-matched healthy older adults. In total, 27 stroke survivors and 34 healthy older adults participated in this study. The MT and EI values of the following muscles were assessed from transverse ultrasound images: rectus abdominis (RA), external oblique, internal oblique, transversus abdominis, rectus femoris, vastus intermedius (VI), vastus lateralis (VL), vastus medialis (VM), tibialis anterior (TA), gastrocnemius (Gas), and soleus (Sol). The MT and EI values of these muscles were compared between stroke survivors and healthy older adults. The MT values of the VL, VM, and RA on the non-paretic sides were significantly higher and those of the TA, Gas, and Sol on the paretic sides were significantly lower in the stroke survivors than in the healthy older adults (P < 0.05). The EI values of the VI, VL, VM, TA on the paretic sides and those of the Gas on both the paretic and non-paretic sides were significantly higher in the stroke survivors than in the healthy older adults (P < 0.05). Stroke survivors seem to develop muscle hypertrophy of the non-paretic thigh muscles owing to a compensatory strategy. In addition, the lower-leg muscles on the paretic side of stroke survivors tend to show both quantitative and qualitative muscle changes.

Multifidus Thickness Comparison between the Effectiveness of Abdominal Bracing and Maximum Expiration Maneuvers in Lumbo-Pelvic Upright Sitting Posture

Background: Trunk flexor-extensor muscles’ co-activation and upright posture are important for spinal stability. Abdominal bracing and maximal expiration are being used as exercises to excel torso co-contraction. However, no study has on comparison of the effect of this exercise on multifidus in the upright sitting posture.Objectives: This study aims to verify the effectiveness of abdominal bracing and expiration maneuvers in lumbo-pelvic upright sitting.Design: Cross-sectional study.Methods: Eighteen healthy women were recruited for this study. The multifidus muscle thickness of all subjects was measured in three sitting conditions (lumbo-pelvic upright sitting, lumbo-pelvic upright sitting with abdominal bracing, and lumbo-pelvic upright sitting with maximum expiration) using ultrasound. One-way repeated measure analysis of variance was used for the evaluation.Results: Compared to lumbo-pelvic upright sitting, lumbo-pelvic upright sitting with abdominal bracing and lumbo-pelvic upright sitting with maximum expiration were associated with significantly increment of muscle thickness. There was no significant difference in muscle thickness between lumbo-pelvic upright sitting with abdominal bracing and lumbo-pelvic upright sitting with maximum expiration.Conclusion: Abdominal bracing and maximum expiration could be beneficial to increasing lumbar multifidus thickness in lumbo-pelvic upright sitting.

Correlation between Quantitative Ultrasonography on Small Muscles of the Foot in Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy and Electrodiagnostic Study

Abstract Background: DPN is worthy of study as it's a leading cause for disability due to foot ulceration and amputation, gait disturbance, and fall-related injury. That makes the early diagnosis of DPN invaluable. Aim of Study: To assess the correlation between quantita-tive muscle ultrasonography (US) findings and electrodiag-nostic study results in patients with diabetic peripheral neu-ropathy (DPN). The clinical importance of quantitative muscle US in DPN was also evaluated. Patients and Methods: Twenty-five patients with DPN and 25 healthy volunteers were recruited. All control and DPN subjects underwent a bilateral peroneal and tibial motor nerve conduction study (NCS) and quantitative muscle US. Ultrasound images of the abductor haullicis (AH) muscle and the extensor digitorum brevis (EDB) muscle were obtained to measure thickness, muscle cross-sectional area (CSA) and echo intensity (EI). Differences in muscle thickness, CSA, and EI between the control and DPN patients' groups were analyzed. Relationships between electrodiagnostic study results and quantitative US parameters were evaluated. Results: A close relations observed between US findings (EI, CSA and muscle thickness) and NCS neuro-physiological findings indicating that we can use both examinations to detect muscle atrophy, and that US can expect changes in neurophys-iologic parameters in diabetics (muscle thickness and CSA were decreased, and EI was increased). The findings in the peroneal nerve were more significant than those in tibial nerve. Comparison between cases and controls regarding quantitative muscle US revealed a statistically insignificant difference in most the parameters, but some parameters showed statistically significant difference. However, there was a clinical importance of the US examination despite the insig-nificant statistics. Conclusion: These findings suggest that quantitative muscle ultrasound may be useful for detecting muscle changes in DPN. Further studies are needed to confirm the findings in larger groups of diabetic patients and to evaluate peripheral muscles by using quantitative muscle US in other types of neuropathy and neuromuscular diseases.

Application of muscle ultrasound for the evaluation of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: An observational cross-sectional study.

We evaluated the association between muscle ultrasound, number of motor units, and clinical parameters, and assessed their utility for distinguishing amyotrophic lateral scleorisis (ALS) patients from healthy individuals. Three muscle pairs (abductor pollicis brevis, abductor digiti minimi, and tibialis anterior) of 18 ALS patients and 18 controls underwent muscle ultrasound (echointensity and thickness) and assessment of motor unit number index (MUNIX). The clinical and functional status of participants were also assessed. Mean age of the patients was 53.8 ± 12.1 years, and score on the ALS Functional Rating Scale-Revised was 38.9 ± 4.1. Echointensity of all tested muscles of ALS participants was significantly higher than that of controls, but there was no significant difference in muscle thickness. Muscle echointensity correlated significantly with clinical and electrophysiological parameters. Echointensity of muscles was highly associated with clinical scales and MUNIX, confirming its relevance as an ancillary diagnostic test in ALS patients.

Comparison of Ultrasonic Thickness of Masseter Muscle Between Individuals With and Without Severe Forward Head Posture: A Cross-Sectional Study

ObjectiveIn this cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study, we sought to compare the ultrasonic thickness of the masseter muscle in people with severe forward head posture vs people without forward head posture, and to determine sex differences in muscle thickness. MethodsThirty-eight volunteers (19 with normal head postures and 19 with severe forward head postures), aged 18 to 35 years, entered the study. The severity of the forward head posture was measured by a plumb line and the craniovertebral angle drawn on the recorded images. Based on the recorded images, the masseter muscle thickness was also measured by a 7.5-MHz linear transducer using an ultrasound device in the seated position with 3 mouth positions (closed, half open, and fully open). ResultsThe results showed that the head posture affects masseter thickness significantly (P = .01), with masseter thickness significantly lower in the participants without severe forward head postures compared to those with severe forward head postures in the closed, half-open, and fully open mouth positions (P < .05). Comparing the mean masseter thickness across sexes showed that the masseter muscle is significantly thicker in men compared to women (P = .01). ConclusionHead posture and thickness of the masseter muscle are linked, as the masseter muscle was thicker in all 3 positions in the participants with severe forward head postures.

Effect of milk fat globule membrane supplementation on motor unit adaptation following resistance training in older adults.

This study aimed to investigate the effect of milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) supplementation on motor unit adaptation following resistance training in older adults. Twenty‐five older males and females took MFGM (n = 12) or a placebo (PLA; n = 12) while performing 8 weeks of isometric knee extension training. During the training, the motor unit firing pattern during submaximal contractions, muscle thickness, and maximal muscle strength of knee extensor muscles were measured every 2 weeks. None of the measurements showed significant differences in muscle thickness or maximal muscle strength (MVC) between the two groups (p > .05). Significant decreases in motor unit firing rate following the intervention were observed in PLA, that is, 14.1 ± 2.7 pps at 0 weeks to 13.0 ± 2.4 pps at 4 weeks (p = .003), but not in MFGM (14.4 ± 2.5 pps to 13.8 ± 1.9 pps). Motor unit firing rates in MFGM were significantly higher than those in PLA at 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks of the intervention, that is, 15.1 ± 2.3 pps in MFGM and 14.5 ± 3.3 pps in PLA at 70% of MVC for motor units recruited at 40% of MVC at 6 weeks (p = .034). Significant differences in firing rates among motor units with different recruitment thresholds were newly observed following the resistance training intervention in MFGM, indicating that motor unit firing pattern is changed in this group. These results suggest that motor unit adaptation following resistance training is modulated by MFGM supplementation in older adults.

Use of Shear Wave Elastography to Quantify Abdominal Wall Muscular Properties in Patients With Incisional Hernia

Shear wave elastography (SWE) is a potential modality that quantitatively measures the elasticity (shear wave speed [SWS]) of musculoskeletal structure. This SWS was bilaterally measured in the rectus abdominis (RA), external oblique (EO) muscle, internal oblique (IO) muscle and transversus abdominis (TrA) using SWE in 28 patients with incisional hernia and 14 healthy controls. The differences in muscle thickness for IO and TrA were significant between the two groups (p < 0.05). The SWS of RA, EO, IO and TrA was significantly higher in the incisional hernia patient group than in the healthy controls (p < 0.05). Significant differences were also observed between the upper and lower points in both groups (p < 0.05). The measurements of SWS help in evaluating the elastic properties of abdominal wall muscles, which could further aid in preparing treatment plans to improve muscle strength.

Evaluation of effects of aging on skeletal muscle elasticity using shear wave elastography

PurposeTo evaluate the effects of aging on skeletal muscle stiffness in relaxed and contracted status using shear wave elastography (SWE). Materials and methodsA total of 57 participants were enrolled to this institutional review board approved prospective study. Medial head of the gastrocnemius muscle (GM) of all participants were examined bilaterally by a single radiologist in prone position. Muscle thickness, stiffness values in both relaxed and contracted status were measured. Stiffness increase rate (SIR) was calculated for all muscles. The Spearman’s correlation test was used for correlation analyses. Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare subgroups. ResultsThe mean age of the participants was 41.15 ± 16.19 (range, 18−74). The means of stiffness values of medial head of GM were 12.51 ± 2.56 kPa and 81.74 ± 15.77 kPa in relaxed and contracted status, respectively. The mean of SIR values was 5.62 ± 1.05 (range, 3.18–8.66). The stiffness values of relaxed and contracted medial head of GM had moderate to strong inverse correlations with age for both dominant and non-dominant extremities (r range: −0.703 to −0.590). Age subgroup analyses revealed significant differences in muscle thickness and stiffness values, whereas no significant difference was found in SIR values. ConclusionIn conclusion, despite the decrease in stiffness of skeletal muscle with advancing age, SIR remained similar. Any improvement in stiffness values of skeletal muscle in relaxed status may play pivotal role in the management of sarcopenia.

Lower Extremity Muscle Morphology and Plantar Loading During Squatting with Different Heel Heights

Objective: Although it is widely reported that high-heeled changes gait pattern in terms of motions and forces throughout the body, the biomechanics while high-heeled squatting has not been examined. This study aimed to explore the acute effects of different heel heights on muscle morphology and plantar loading during high-heeled squatting. Methods: Fourteen healthy females performed squats on high-heeled shoes with different heights: flat (0.8 cm), moderate (4.0 cm), and high (7.0 cm). Muscle thickness and pennation angle of selected lower limb muscles were measured by ultrasound imaging. Plantar pressure distribution and COP trajectory during an entire squatting motion were recorded. Results: As the heel height increased, the average and peak pressure consistently increased in the heel and hallux regions, while reversely changed in MF and LF regions. In addition, the selected lower limb muscles except for the lateral gastrocnemius and vastus medialis showed significant differences in muscle thickness and pennation angle between heel heights. Conclusion: The findings of this study indicate that increased heel height would enhance the immediate effects on muscle morphology as well as plantar pressure redistribution potentially causing lower limb muscle fatigue and injuries.

Electromyographic and ultrasonographic evaluation of neuromuscular electrical stimulation training on the equine rectus abdominis muscle

The current study aimed to determine the effects of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) on equine rectus abdominis using surface electromyography (sEMG) and ultrasonographic muscle thickness evaluation. Five horses were trained with NMES for 12 weeks; muscle thickness and sEMG evaluations were obtained before and after the training period. Three different tests were carried out for sEMG evaluations: Test A tried to elicit a voluntary maximal isometric contraction (VMIC); Test B used NMES to elicit a muscular contraction; and Test C used 1 ms repetitive electrical impulses to elicit a series of M-waves. Muscle strength was evaluated from the root mean square (RMS; Tests A and B) and peak to peak (PP; Test C) values obtained from the sEMG data. Measures related to amplitude (RMSa; RMSm; RMSa; PP) were normalised with their pre-training values for every muscle prior to statistical analysis, leading to values as a proportion of the initial value. The evaluation of muscle fatigue was performed using a Fourier test analysis of the frequency range, obtaining the median frequency (MF) for all tests. Muscle thickness (MT) was measured by ultrasound of left and right sides of the rectus abdominis. Data were analysed using non parametric test of Wilcoxon (Test A RMSa; Test A RMSm; Test B RMSa; Test B RMSm; Test C PP; MT; P&lt;0.05) and t-test (Test A MF; Test B MF; Test C MF; P&lt;0.05). Statistical differences were observed between baseline and trained horses. Muscle force increase following NMES training in Test B (RMSa 2.50±0.69; RMSm 2.59±0.76) and Test C (PP 5.20±1.76). Fatigue of the rectus abdominis decreased in Test A (168.33±55.19 vs 232.63±44.15 Hz) and Test C MF (187.93±20.76 vs 236.98±52.39 Hz), but not in Test B (363.98±45.48 vs 327.95±50.84 Hz). The difference in muscle thickness between the two groups was not significant (10.96±0.64; 11.78±0.79 mm). The results suggest that NMES training could be used as an effective method to increase muscle force and fatigue resistance of the rectus abdominis muscle in the horse.

Muscle Thickness During Core Stability Exercises in Children and Adults.

Core stability exercises are regular part of exercise programs for asymptomatic individuals across ages. The purpose of this study was to examine deep abdominal and multifidus muscle thickness in children and adults and to determine reliability of the rehabilitative ultrasound (RUSI) imaging. Transversus abdominis and lumbar multifidus thickness at rest and during core stability exercise were examined in pre-pubertal children (N = 23), adolescents (N = 20), young adults (N = 21) and middle-aged adults (N = 22). Thirty-nine participants were re-tested one week after to establish reliability. Muscle thickness at rest was lower in children and adolescents compared with young and middle-aged adults (p < 0.008). Young adults displayed the highest relative transversus abdominis thickness upon contraction (p < 0.008). Lumbar multfidus contraction thickness was greater in young-adults than middle-aged adults and pre-pubertal children (p < 0.008), but it was similar between young-adults and adolescents (p > 0.008). Reliability was high for both muscles (ICC3,3 = 0.76 - 0.99). The age-related differences in muscle thickness indicate that core stability exercises may be beneficial for children and middle-aged adults.

Effect of Visual Feedback Squat Motion on Core Muscles Thickness of Young People with Lower Back Pain

Purpose: This study examined the effect of visual feedback squat on the core muscle thickness of young adults experiencing back pain. Methods: Thirty adult men and women who experienced back pain were assigned randomly to 15 members of the visual feedback squat group (VSG) and 15 of the normal squat group (NSG) to train three times a week for a total of eight weeks. The core muscle thickness was compared prior to the test for four weeks and eight weeks after the test by dividing it into warm-up exercise, main exercise, and 10 minutes finishing exercise. Before, and four weeks and eight weeks later, the thickness of the core muscle was compared using an ultra sonic imaging system. Repeated measured ANOVA was performed to compare the groups, and a Bonferroni test was performed as a post-hoc test to assess the significance of the timing of the measurements in each group according to the periods. An independent t-test was conducted to test the significance between the groups according to the measurement points. Results: A significant change in the main effects of time and interactions of the time difference in muscle thickness of transvers abdom inis were observed between the visual feedback squat and control groups according to the measurement point (p 0.05). Conclusion: These findings suggest that visual feedback squat exercise is expected to have positive effects on the development of trans verse abdominis in core muscles.

Why do Zenker's diverticulae occur more often on the left than the right side?

Zenker's diverticulum is a pharyngoesophageal outpouching of mucosa and submucosa through Killian's dehiscence. To investigate the propensity for Zenker's diverticulum to occur on the left side by examining muscle thickness in Killian's dehiscence, and to explore correlations between muscle thickness, sex, height and age. The study included 109 Caucasian cadavers, 52 male and 57 female. The mean thickest and thinnest measurements of left medial, left lateral, right medial and right lateral aspects of Killian's dehiscence were calculated. The paired student's t-test was used to determine significance. The average left muscle layer was significantly thinner than the right muscle layer, in both medial and lateral aspects. Furthermore, medial muscle thickness was significantly thinner than its respective lateral aspect for both the left and right sides. No correlations were found between muscle thickness and cadavers' sex, length or stature, or age. There was a significant difference in muscle thickness between the left and right sides of Killian's dehiscence. The findings suggest there is a reason why Zenker's diverticulum occurs predominantly on the left side. The study also showed a significant difference in muscle thickness between the medial and lateral aspects of Killian's triangle.

Correlation of physical function with the thickness of multiple muscles of the quadriceps femoris in community-dwelling elderly individuals.

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to clarify the reference values of muscle thicknesses by age and to elucidate the association of muscle thickness with physical function in a large group of community-dwelling elderly individuals.Participants and methodsThe muscle thicknesses of the rectus femoris (RF), vastus intermedius (VI), and quadriceps femoris (QF) in 777 of 831 enrolled elderly individuals were measured by ultrasonography, and physical function was measured using knee extension strength (KES), one-legged stance, walking, Timed Up and Go, and grip strength tests. Muscle thickness data were divided by sex and categorized into 5-year age groups. Differences in muscle thickness and KES among the age groups were examined, and correlations between muscle thickness and physical function test results were compared by age. The non-parametric independent two-sample Mann–Whitney U-test, Kruskal-Wallis test, and Spearman’s correlation coefficients were used in the statistical analysis.ResultsThickness of the RF showed fewer significant differences among all groups and less decreases compared to thickness of the VI in older age groups, especially in men. Thicknesses of the RF, VI, and QF correlated with KES in almost all the thicknesses of muscles in the 65–69 and 70–74 years age groups in men and in almost all age groups in women. The decrease in muscle thicknesses and degree of correlations with aging were different between men and women.ConclusionsReductions in the thicknesses of the muscles and KES differed by age group and sex. Our results could be used for prescribing exercise in community-dwelling elderly individuals of varying ages.

Comparison of lumbar multifidus thickness and perceived exertion during graded superman exercises with or without an abdominal drawing-in maneuver in young adults.

The present study aimed to investigate lumbar multifidus (LM) thickness and perceived exertion during graded superman exercises (GSE) or GSE with an abdominal drawing-in maneuver (GSE-AD) in young adults. Twelve young adult males and females, who were informed of the purpose and procedures of this study and then gave their voluntary consent to participate, were included in this study. All subjects randomly performed three GSE and GSE-AD over 3 days. Ultrasonography was used to measure the LM thickness to the left and right of the L5 region. Additionally, the issue of whole-body fatigue felt by the subject while performing the GSE or GSE-AD was measured using the Borg scale. The intrarater reliability of the LM measurement was found to be intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC[3,1])=0.97 (0.87–0.99) at resting and ICC(3,1)=0.94 (0.78–0.99) at contraction. Both the left and right LM showed significantly higher contraction during the grade 3 GSE (P< 0.05). The whole-body fatigue was significantly greater following GSE 2 and 3 than following GSE-AD 2 and 3 (P<0.05). In particular, GSE-AD had a significantly lower Borg score compared to GSE (P<0.05) and did not show any significant difference in muscle thickness (P>0.05). It is recommended that the abdominal drawing-in maneuver be applied with grade 3 GSE to enhance stability and reduce spinal fatigue.

Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of 304 patients with infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis in Anhui Province of East China, 2012–2015

Objective: To analyze the clinical and epidemiological features of patients with infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis (IHPS) so as to provide scientific evidence for diagnosis and prevention of IHPS.Methods: We performed a retrospective study of infants with IHPS diagnosed from 2012 to 2015 at Anhui Provincial Children’s Hospital. Demographic characteristics and clinical data were collected.Results: Three hundred four patients (264 males and 40 females) were studied, of which 94.7% were full term and 75.7% were bottle fed or mixed fed; 16.8% of the patients had other congenital malformations in combination with IHPS. The proportion of IHPS cases with hyponatremia, hypokalemia, and hypochloremia was 18.4%, 12.5%, and 53.9%. A negative correlation was found between duration of disease and serum electrolytes. The mean pyloric muscle thickness, pyloric length, and diameter were 4.8 ± 0.7 mm, 19.4 ± 2.5 mm, and 13.3 ± 1.8 mm, respectively. There were significant differences in muscle thickness, pyloric length, and diameter between short (≤14 d) and long (>14 d) durations of disease. All patients underwent pyloromyotomy, and postoperative recovery was good.Conclusions: IHPS occurs mainly in male, full-term, bottle-fed or mixed-fed infants. Patients with long duration of disease were more likely to develop electrolyte disorder and thicker muscle layer. More attention should be paid to early discovery and diagnosis, which will help to improve the curative effect and prognosis of IHPS.

Measurement of muscle thickness of the serratus anterior and lower trapezius using ultrasound imaging in competitive recreational adult swimmers, with and without current shoulder pain

ObjectivesTo compare serratus anterior and lower trapezius muscle thickness between swimmers with and without current shoulder pain, and between sides when measured by real-time ultrasound imaging. DesignA single blinded age and gender-matched case-control study with 26 symptomatic and 26 asymptomatic recreational swimmers. MethodsMuscle thickness of serratus anterior and lower trapezius were measured using previously validated real-time ultrasound imaging protocols. Serratus anterior thickness was measured in side lying with 90° of glenohumeral flexion at rest and during a scapular protraction contraction. Lower trapezius thickness was measured in prone with 145° of glenohumeral abduction whilst at rest and when holding the weight of the arm. ResultsThere was no statistically significant difference between the muscle thickness of serratus anterior and lower trapezius between the symptomatic shoulder and the dominance-matched shoulder in the asymptomatic group of swimmers. There was also no significant difference in muscle thickness between the symptomatic side and asymptomatic side within the symptomatic group. ConclusionsThere appears to be no difference in serratus anterior and lower trapezius thickness between swimmers who have mild to moderate shoulder pain, who continue to swim and those who do not have shoulder pain. When imaging the serratus anterior and lower trapezius in swimmers with mild shoulder pain, clinicians should expect no differences between sides. If muscle thickness differences between sides are detected in recreational swimmers, this may indicate that the swimmer is participating in other asymmetrical activities or has a higher level of shoulder pain.

Quantitative Muscle Ultrasonography in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

ObjectiveTo assess the reliability of quantitative muscle ultrasonography (US) in healthy subjects and to evaluate the correlation between quantitative muscle US findings and electrodiagnostic study results in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). The clinical significance of quantitative muscle US in CTS was also assessed.MethodsTwenty patients with CTS and 20 age-matched healthy volunteers were recruited. All control and CTS subjects underwent a bilateral median and ulnar nerve conduction study (NCS) and quantitative muscle US. Transverse US images of the abductor pollicis brevis (APB) and abductor digiti minimi (ADM) were obtained to measure muscle cross-sectional area (CSA), thickness, and echo intensity (EI). EI was determined using computer-assisted, grayscale analysis. Inter-rater and intra-rater reliability for quantitative muscle US in control subjects, and differences in muscle thickness, CSA, and EI between the CTS patient and control groups were analyzed. Relationships between quantitative US parameters and electrodiagnostic study results were evaluated.ResultsQuantitative muscle US had high inter-rater and intra-rater reliability in the control group. Muscle thickness and CSA were significantly decreased, and EI was significantly increased in the APB of the CTS group (all p<0.05). EI demonstrated a significant positive correlation with latency of the median motor and sensory NCS in CTS patients (p<0.05).ConclusionThese findings suggest that quantitative muscle US parameters may be useful for detecting muscle changes in CTS. Further study involving patients with other neuromuscular diseases is needed to evaluate peripheral muscle change using quantitative muscle US.

The Study of Asymmetrical of the Serratus Anterior and Lower Trapezius Muscles in Chronic Stroke Patients

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare the muscle architecture of serratus anterior and lower trapezius using rehabilitative ultrasound imaging (RUSI) in affected and unaffected side of chronic stroke patients. METHODS: The participants were thirty five patients with stroke hemiplegia in this study. RUSI was used to measure the muscle thickness of the serratus anterior and lower trapezius muscles. We compared the muscle thickness according to affected side and sex, determined the reliability of the measurement image. Independent t-test, intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) and standard error of measurement (SEM) were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Significant difference in muscle thickness of serratus anterior was observed between affected and unaffected side (p