Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Breisacher Str. 64, 79106, Freiburg, Germany.
Department of Neuroradiology, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79106, Freiburg, Germany.
Eur Radiol. 2023 Mar;33(3):1565-1574. doi: 10.1007/s00330-022-09202-7. Epub 2022 Oct 29.
Quantitative MRI techniques, such as diffusion microstructure imaging (DMI), are increasingly applied for advanced tissue characterization. We determined its value in rotator cuff (RC) muscle imaging by studying the association of DMI parameters to isometric strength and fat fraction (FF).
Healthy individuals prospectively underwent 3T-MRI of the shoulder using DMI and chemical shift encoding-based water-fat imaging. RC muscles were segmented and quantitative MRI metrics (V-ISO, free fluid; V-intra, compartment inside of muscle fibers; V-extra, compartment outside of muscle fibers, and FF) were extracted. Isometric shoulder strength was quantified using specific clinical tests. Sex-related differences were assessed with Student's t. Association of DMI-metrics, FF, and strength was tested. A factorial two-way ANOVA was performed to compare the main effects of sex and external/internal strength-ratio and their interaction effects on quantitative imaging parameters ratios of infraspinatus/subscapularis.
Among 22 participants (mean age: 26.7 ± 3.1 years, 50% female, mean BMI: 22.6 ± 1.9 kg/m), FF of the individual RC muscles did not correlate with strength or DMI parameters (all p > 0.05). Subjects with higher V-intra (r = 0.57 to 0.87, p < 0.01) and lower V-ISO (r = -0.6 to -0.88, p < 0.01) had higher internal and external rotation strength. Moreover, V-intra was higher and V-ISO was lower in all RC muscles in males compared to female subjects (all p < 0.01). There was a sex-independent association of external/internal strength-ratio with the ratio of V-extra of infraspinatus/subscapularis (p = 0.02).
Quantitative DMI parameters may provide incremental information about muscular function and microstructure in young athletes and may serve as a potential biomarker.
• Diffusion microstructure imaging was successfully applied to non-invasively assess the microstructure of rotator cuff muscles in healthy volunteers. • Sex-related differences in the microstructural composition of the rotator cuff were observed. • Muscular microstructural metrics correlated with rotator cuff strength and may serve as an imaging biomarker of muscular integrity and function.
定量磁共振成像技术（如扩散微观成像（DMI））越来越多地用于高级组织特征分析。我们通过研究 DMI 参数与等长力量和脂肪分数（FF）的相关性，来确定其在肩袖（RC）肌肉成像中的价值。
健康个体前瞻性地在 3T-MRI 上进行肩部 DMI 和基于化学位移编码的水脂成像。对 RC 肌肉进行分割，并提取定量 MRI 指标（V-ISO，游离液体；V-intra，肌纤维内部分隔；V-extra，肌纤维外部分隔，以及 FF）。使用特定的临床测试来量化等长肩部力量。使用学生 t 检验评估性别差异。测试 DMI 指标、FF 和力量之间的相关性。进行因子双向方差分析，以比较性别和内外力量比的主要影响及其对肩胛下肌/冈下肌定量成像参数比的交互影响。
在 22 名参与者中（平均年龄：26.7 ± 3.1 岁，50%为女性，平均 BMI：22.6 ± 1.9 kg/m2），个体 RC 肌肉的 FF 与力量或 DMI 指标均无相关性（均 p > 0.05）。V-intra 较高（r = 0.57 至 0.87，p < 0.01）和 V-ISO 较低（r = -0.6 至 -0.88，p < 0.01）的受试者具有更高的内旋和外旋力量。此外，与女性相比，男性的所有 RC 肌肉中 V-intra 更高，V-ISO 更低（均 p < 0.01）。内外力量比与冈下肌/肩胛下肌 V-extra 比具有独立于性别的关联（p = 0.02）。
定量 DMI 参数可能为年轻运动员的肌肉功能和微观结构提供额外信息，并可能作为潜在的生物标志物。
扩散微观成像技术成功应用于无创评估健康志愿者肩袖肌肉的微观结构。
观察到肩袖微观结构组成的性别差异。
肌肉微观结构指标与肩袖力量相关，可能作为肌肉完整性和功能的影像学生物标志物。
