Application of the novel estimation method by shear wave elastography using vibrator to human skeletal muscle

Abstract

In recent years, non-invasive measurement of tissue stiffness (hardness) using ultrasound elastography has attracted considerable attention. It has been used to evaluate muscle stiffness in the fields of rehabilitation, sports, and orthopedics. However, ultrasonic diagnostic devices with elastography systems are expensive and clinical use of such devices has been limited. In this study, we proposed a novel estimation method for vibration-based shear wave elastography measurement of human skeletal muscle, then determined its reproducibility and reliability. The coefficient of variation and correlation coefficient were used to determine reproducibility and reliability of the method by measuring the shear wave velocities in konjac phantom gels and agar phantom gels, as well as skeletal muscle. The intra-day, day-to-day, and inter-operator reliabilities were good when measuring the shear wave velocities in phantom gels. The intra-day and day-to-day reliabilities were good when measuring the shear wave velocities in skeletal muscle. The findings confirmed adequate reproducibility and reliability of the novel estimation method for vibration-based shear wave elastography. Therefore, the proposed measurement method may be a useful tool for evaluation of muscle stiffness.

Quantitative Shear Wave Speed Assessment for Muscles With the Diagnosis of Taut Bands and/or Myofascial Trigger Points Using Probe Oscillation Shear Wave Elastography: A Pilot Study

“…In this study, the positioning of the ultrasound probe and two vibration sources had to be adjusted so that two shear waves were propagated in the muscle fiber direction, to avoid the effect of muscle fiber orientation on SWS estimation. For this purpose, we used the real‐time B mode as a probe position guide to ensure that the ultrasound probe and both vibration sources were located at a position parallel to the long axis of the muscle fibers identical to the method described by Tsuchida et al 24 …”

“…In this study, the positioning of the ultrasound probe and two vibration sources had to be adjusted so that two shear waves were propagated in the muscle fiber direction, to avoid the effect of muscle fiber orientation on SWS estimation. For this purpose, we used the real-time B mode as a probe position guide to ensure that the ultrasound probe and both vibration sources were located at a position parallel to the long axis of the muscle fibers identical to the method described by Tsuchida et al 24 Furthermore, real-time B mode imaging was also used to identify the locations of MTrPs, since they may appear as a focal hypoechoic region with a heterogeneous texture on the B mode image as previously described. 5,6,16 The MTrP was determined by the physics therapist and a clear hypoechoic region was identified.…”

Evaluation of Normal and Pathological Patellar Tendon by Real- Time Shear Wave Elastography

“…In another study, Zhang et al measured Vs at a proximal part of the tendon; Also, in the research realized by Zhang et al, by using SWE, was evaluated 13 athletes with unilateral patellar tendinopathy and was found a correlation between increased stiffness of painful tendon and the intensity of pain and degree of dysfunction [23]. The conclusion was that the elastic modulus is influenced directly proportional by the size of the ROI (Kot et al [24,25] and by the assessed tendon portion [26].…”

Application of continuous shear wave elastography method with multiple frequency selection to liver viscoelasticity measurement

“…To date, C-SWE has been applied to musculoskeletal organs and mammary glands, and tissue elasticity has been measured from the propagation velocity of shear waves. [25][26][27] Living tissue not only has elasticity but also viscosity. Therefore, shear waves propagating in the body have different velocities (velocity dispersions) depending on the frequency.…”