Pirri Carmelo, Pirri Nina, Guidolin Diego, De Rose Enrico, Macchi Veronica, Porzionato Andrea, De Caro Raffaele, Stecco Carla
Department of Neurosciences, Institute of Human Anatomy, University of Padua, 35121 Padova, Italy.
Department of Medicine-DIMED, School of Radiology, Radiology Institute, University of Padua, 35121 Padova, Italy.
Life (Basel). 2025 May 21;15(5):822. doi: 10.3390/life15050822.
This study investigates the influence of probe angulation on echogenicity and thickness measurements of the deep fascia, addressing methodological challenges in musculoskeletal ultrasound examination. The anisotropic nature of connective tissues can lead to distortions, affecting US imaging accuracy and diagnostic reliability. Echogenicity and thickness variations were analyzed across different probe inclinations in both transverse and longitudinal orientations. Measurements at 0° were compared with -5° and +5° angles to assess their impact on imaging consistency due to 3D-printed support. Echogenicity differed significantly with probe angulation, in particular in transverse scan at 0°, which showed substantial variation at -5° (mean diff. = 55.14, < 0.0001) and +5° (mean diff. = 43.75, = 0.0024). Thickness measurements also varied, reinforcing that non-perpendicular probe angulation introduces distortions. The same results were reported for longitudinal scans. These findings highlight the need for the use of standardized scanning protocols to improve reliability. The protean nature of deep fascia anisotropy, highly sensitive to minimal changes in probe orientation, necessitates precise and consistent imaging to accurately reveal its structural organization. Optimizing probe orientation is essential for advancing fascial US diagnostics.
本研究调查了探头角度对深筋膜回声性及厚度测量的影响，探讨了肌肉骨骼超声检查中的方法学挑战。结缔组织的各向异性可导致图像失真，影响超声成像准确性和诊断可靠性。在横向和纵向方向上，分析了不同探头倾斜度下的回声性和厚度变化。将0°时的测量结果与-5°和+5°时的测量结果进行比较，以评估由于3D打印支撑导致的探头角度对成像一致性的影响。回声性随探头角度有显著差异，特别是在横向扫描0°时，-5°（平均差异=55.14，<0.0001）和+5°（平均差异=43.75，=0.0024）时显示出显著变化。厚度测量也存在差异，这进一步证明非垂直探头角度会引入失真。纵向扫描也得到了相同的结果。这些发现凸显了使用标准化扫描方案以提高可靠性的必要性。深筋膜各向异性的多变性质对探头方向的微小变化高度敏感，因此需要精确且一致的成像来准确揭示其结构组织。优化探头方向对于推进筋膜超声诊断至关重要。
