Skeletal Muscle Ultrasound: Correlation Between Fibrous Tissue and Echo Intensity

• Published in: Ultrasound in medicine & biology Vol. 35; no. 3; pp. 443 - 446
• Main Authors: Pillen, Sigrid, Tak, Ramon O, Zwarts, Machiel J, Lammens, Martin M.Y, Verrijp, Kiek N, Arts, Ilse M.P, van der Laak, Jeroen A, Hoogerbrugge, Peter M, van Engelen, Baziel G.M, Verrips, Aad
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Inc 01.03.2009
• Subjects: Adipose Tissue - diagnostic imaging; Adipose Tissue - pathology; Animals; Biopsy; Disease Models, Animal; Dogs; Duchenne muscular dystrophy; Echo intensity; Fibrosis - diagnostic imaging; Fibrosis - pathology; Male; Muscle; Muscle, Skeletal - diagnostic imaging; Muscle, Skeletal - pathology; Muscular Dystrophy, Animal - diagnostic imaging; Muscular Dystrophy, Animal - pathology; Neuromuscular disorders; Radiology; Reproducibility of Results; Ultrasonography; Ultrasound; Echo intensity; Muscle; Neuromuscular disorders; Ultrasound; Duchenne muscular dystrophy; Dogs
• ISSN: 0301-5629; 1879-291X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2008.09.016

Abstract In this study, we examined the correlation between muscle ultrasound and muscle structure. Echo intensity (EI) of 14 muscles of two golden retriever muscular dystrophy dogs was correlated to the percentage interstitial fibrous tissue and fat in muscle biopsy. A significant correlation between interstitial fibrous tissue and EI was found ( r = 0.87; p < 0.001). The separate influence of interstitial fat on muscle EI could not be established as only little fat was present. We conclude that fibrous tissue causes increased muscle EI. The high correlation between interstitial fibrous tissue and EI makes ultrasound a reliable method to determine severity of structural muscle changes. (E-mail: s.pillen@cukz.umcn.nl )