Quantitative ultrasound imaging of the muscle tissue may be applied in the neurology field, due to B-mode grayscale pixels values could be used as potential biomarkers for disease progression and intervention effects in poststroke patients. Thus, the study aim was to compare and analyze the ultrasound imaging B-mode pixels differences between the intrinsic plantar muscles cross-sectional area (CSA) in hemiparetic and contralateral feet from poststroke patients by means of the Image J software. A case-control design and a convenience sampling method were used in order to recruit 22 feet from 11 poststroke patients. This total sample was divided into 11 hemiparetic feet and 11 contralateral feet. The Image J software was used in order to evaluate the interface distance, CSA as well as measure the pixels mean, standard deviation (SD) and count from all offline images in the flexor digitorum brevis, abductor hallucis (AbH), and flexor hallucis brevis muscles. Statistically significant differences (p = 0.003) were only shown for the pixels count in the AbH muscle. The rest of outcome measurements did not show any statistically significant difference (p > 0.05). Therefore, B-mode ultrasound imaging Image J software differences for the pixels count reduction were shown in the AbH muscle between hemiparetic and contralateral feet from poststroke patients. Further studies are necessary in order to apply our findings as potential biomarkers during the stroke disease course.

No abstract

Purpose: The study main aim was to compare the cross-sectional area (CSA) and thickness of the plantar muscles and fascia in the hemiparesis and contralateral feet of poststroke survivors with respect to healthy feet of matched controls.Methods: A case-control observational study was performed using B-mode rehabilitative ultrasound imaging. A convenience sampling method was used to select 60 feet. The sample was divided into 20 feet ipsilateral and 20 feet contralateral to the hemiparesis lower limb from poststroke survivors, as well as 20 healthy feet from matched controls. The CSA and thickness of the abductor hallucis, flexor digitorum brevis and flexor hallucis brevis, as well as the thickness for the posterior, middle and anterior plantar fascia portions were measured. Comparisons and multivariate predictive analyses were carried out for ultrasound measurements. In all analyses, a P-value<.01 with a 99% confidence interval was considered as statistically significant.Results: Statistically significant differences (P<.01) were shown for a flexor hallucis brevis thickness increase as well as middle and anterior plantar fascia thickness decrease of the hemiparesis feet and contralateral feet with respect to the healthy matched control feet. The rest of measurements did not show any statistically significant difference (P>.01).Conclusions: The thickness of the flexor hallucis brevis muscle as well as the middle and anterior plantar fascia portions of the hemiparesis and contralateral feet from poststroke survivors presented morphology changes with respect to the healthy matched control feet.

No abstract

No abstract