Ultrasound Strain Imaging in Assessment of Biceps Muscle Stiffness and Dynamic Motion in Healthy Adults
Journal
Ultrasound in Medicine and Biologuy
Journal Volume
Vol
Date Issued
2017
Author(s)
Abstract
We prospectively evaluated the feasibility of using ultrasound strain imaging (USI) to assess biceps brachii muscle (BBM) stiffness and dynamic motion in 10 healthy adults. The BBM axial deformation was produced by external compression with a sandbag (1.0 kg) tied onto the transducer. The BBM lateral movement was produced by manual passive elbow flexion and extension. By use of 2-D speckle tracking, captured 5-s real-time ultrasound data of BBM were processed to estimate axial strain, representing muscle stiffness, and lateral strain and tissue velocity, representing muscle dynamic motion. Axial (lateral) strain ratio was defined as BBM strain divided by subcutaneous soft tissue strain. There was no significant difference in lateral strain or tissue velocity between the left and right BBM (lateral strain ratio: 4.69 ± 0.07 vs. 4.51 ± 0.08 for extension, 4.82 ± 0.09 vs. 4.69 ± 0.11 for flexion; tissue velocity: 1.58 ± 0.32 cm/s vs. 1.78 ± 0.85 cm/s for extension, ?2.03 ± 0.63 vs. ?2.03 ± 0.59 for flexion; all p values > 0.05) or between men and women (lateral strain ratio: 4.52 ± 0.06 vs. 4.67 ± 0.1 for extension, 4.71 ± 0.11 vs. 4.83 ± 0.09 for flexion; tissue velocity, cm/s: 1.76 ± 0.76 vs. 1.66 ± 0.65 for extension, ?2.21 ± 0.65 vs. ?1.88 ± 0.52 for flexion, all p values > 0.05). The difference in axial stain between men and women was significant (axial strain ratio: 3.09 ± 0.43 vs. 3.52 ± 0.26, p = 0.02). Inter- and intra-observer reliability in performing USI of the BBM was good (all intra-class correlation coefficients [ICCs] >0.75). Our results suggest that USI seems to be feasible for and reproducible in estimating BBM mechanical properties and motion dynamics in healthy adults. ? 2017 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology
Subjects
Biceps brachii muscle; Lateral strain; Muscle mechanical property; Muscle movement; Ultrasound strain imaging
SDGs
Other Subjects
Biomechanics; Dynamics; Mechanical properties; Muscle; Stiffness; Ultrasonics; Velocity; Axial deformations; Biceps brachii muscle; Correlation coefficient; Lateral movement; Lateral strain; Muscle movement; Speckle tracking; Strain imaging; Tissue; adult; arm movement; Article; biceps brachii muscle; biomechanics; compression; echography; elbow flexion; female; human; human experiment; male; measurement repeatability; muscle contraction; muscle stress; muscle tone; non invasive measurement; normal human; priority journal; prospective study; real time ultrasound scanner; reproducibility; two dimensional speckle tracking; ultrasound strain imaging; arm; diagnostic imaging; echography; image processing; joint characteristics and functions; middle aged; physiology; procedures; reference value; skeletal muscle; Adult; Arm; Female; Humans; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; Male; Middle Aged; Muscle, Skeletal; Prospective Studies; Range of Motion, Articular; Reference Values; Reproducibility of Results; Ultrasonography
Type
journal article