Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Army Medical University, 30 Gaotanyan Street Shapingba District, Chongqing, 400038, China.
Health Management Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China.
Eur Radiol. 2024 Jan;34(1):69-79. doi: 10.1007/s00330-023-09954-w. Epub 2023 Aug 4.
Investigate sex differences in age-related back extensor muscle degeneration using Dixon MRI and analyze the relationship between quantitative muscle parameters and back muscle strength in healthy adults.
105 healthy subjects underwent lumbar Dixon MRI. Fat fraction (FF), cross-sectional area (CSA), functional CSA (FCSA), and relative FCSA (RFCSA) of multifidus muscle (MF) and erector spinae (ES) were quantified. Back extension muscle strength was measured using an external fixation dynamometer. ANOVA with post hoc Tukey correction was used for age group comparisons. Partial and Spearman's correlation analyzed relationships between age, muscle parameters, and muscle strength.
MF and ES FF significantly increased with age in both genders (r = 0.55-0.85; p < 0.001). Muscle FF increased prominently for females (40-49 years, MF and 50-59 years, ES) and males (60-73 years, MF and ES). In females, total ES FCSA and RFCSA (r = - 0.42, - 0.37; p < 0.01) correlated with age. While in males, all MF and ES muscle size parameters, except total MF CSA, correlated with age (r = - 0.30 to - 0.58; p < 0.05). Back extension muscle strength correlated with mean FF, total CSA, and total FCAS for MF and ES individually (p < 0.001). The combined MF + ES FCSA correlation coefficient (r = 0.63) was higher than FF (r = - 0.51) and CSA (r = 0.59) (p < 0.001).
Age-related back extensor muscle degeneration varies by muscle type and sex. FCSA has the highest association with back muscle strength compared to FF and CSA.
The investigation of sex differences in age-related back extensor muscle degeneration utilizing Dixon imaging may hold significant implications for evaluating spine health and enabling earlier intervention. Muscles' FCSA could contribute to acquiring additional evidence for reflecting muscle function change.
• The multifidus muscle (MF) and erector spinae (ES) fat fraction (FF) increased with age at all lumbar disc levels in females and males. • Age-related changes in muscle morphological quantitative parameters of healthy adults were specific by muscle type and gender. • The muscle functional cross-sectional area (FCSA) measured by Dixon imaging may better monitor back extensor muscle strength changes than muscle FF and cross-sectional area (CSA).
利用 Dixon MRI 研究与年龄相关的腰背伸肌退行性变的性别差异，并分析健康成年人定量肌肉参数与腰背伸肌力量之间的关系。
对 105 例健康受试者进行腰椎 Dixon MRI 检查。测量多裂肌（MF）和竖脊肌（ES）的脂肪分数（FF）、横截面积（CSA）、功能 CSA（FCSA）和相对 FCSA（RFCSA）。使用外部固定测力计测量腰背伸肌力量。采用方差分析（ANOVA）和事后 Tukey 校正进行年龄组比较。采用偏相关和 Spearman 相关分析年龄、肌肉参数和肌肉力量之间的关系。
MF 和 ES 的 FF 在两性中均随年龄增长而显著增加（r=0.55-0.85；p<0.001）。女性肌肉 FF 增加明显（40-49 岁，MF 和 50-59 岁，ES）和男性（60-73 岁，MF 和 ES）。在女性中，总 ES FCSA 和 RFCSA（r= - 0.42，- 0.37；p<0.01）与年龄相关。而在男性中，除总 MF CSA 外，所有 MF 和 ES 肌肉大小参数均与年龄相关（r= - 0.30 至 - 0.58；p<0.05）。腰背伸肌力量与 MF 和 ES 的平均 FF、总 CSA 和总 FCAS 呈正相关（p<0.001）。MF+ES FCSA 的相关系数（r=0.63）高于 FF（r= - 0.51）和 CSA（r=0.59）（p<0.001）。
与年龄相关的腰背伸肌退行性变因肌肉类型和性别而异。与 FF 和 CSA 相比，FCSA 与腰背伸肌力量的相关性最高。
利用 Dixon 成像技术研究与年龄相关的腰背伸肌退行性变的性别差异，可能对评估脊柱健康和早期干预具有重要意义。肌肉的 FCSA 可能有助于提供更多证据来反映肌肉功能变化。
·女性和男性在所有腰椎间盘水平，MF 和 ES 的脂肪分数（FF）均随年龄增长而增加。
·健康成年人肌肉形态学定量参数的年龄相关性变化因肌肉类型和性别而异。
·与肌肉 FF 和 CSA 相比，Dixon 成像测量的肌肉功能 CSA 可能更好地监测腰背伸肌力量的变化。
