Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Fischer, Michael. A.
• Pfirrmann, Christian W. A.
• Espinosa, Norman
• Raptis, Dimitri A.
• Buck, Florian M.

Titel

Dixon-based MRI for assessment of muscle-fat content in phantoms, healthy volunteers and patients with achillodynia: comparison to visual assessment of calf muscle quality

Ist Teil von

• European radiology, 2014-06, Vol.24 (6), p.1366-1375

Ort / Verlag

Berlin/Heidelberg: Springer Berlin Heidelberg

Erscheinungsjahr

2014

Quelle

MEDLINE

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• Objectives To quantify the muscle fat-content (MFC) in phantoms, volunteers and patients with achillodynia using two-point Dixon-based magnetic resonance imaging (2pt-MRI DIXON ) in comparison to MR spectroscopy (MRS) and visual assessment of MFC. Methods Two-point Dixon-based MRI was used to measure the MFC of 15 phantoms containing 0-100 % fat-content and calf muscles in 30 patients (13 women; 57 ± 15 years) with achillodynia and in 20 volunteers (10 women; 30 ± 14 years) at 1.5 T. The accuracy of 2pt-MRI DIXON in quantification of MFC was assessed in vitro using phantoms and in vivo using MRS as the standard of reference. Fat-fractions derived from 2pt-MRI DIXON (FF DIXON ) and MRS (FF MRS ) were related to visual assessment of MFC (Goutallier grades 0–4) and Achilles-tendon quality (grade 0-4). Results Excellent linear correlation was demonstrated for FF DIXON with phantoms and with FF MRS in patients ( p c  = 0.997/0.995; p  < 0.001). FF DIXON of the gastrocnemius muscle was significantly higher ( p  = 0.002) in patients (7.0 % ± 4.7 %) compared with volunteers (3.6 % ± 0.7 %), whereas visual-grading showed no difference between both groups ( p  > 0.05). FF MRS and FF DIXON were significantly higher in subjects with (>grade 1) structural damage of the Achilles-tendon ( p  = 0.01). Conclusions Two-point Dixon-based MRI allows for accurate quantification of MFC, outperforming visual assessment of calf muscle fat. Structural damage of the Achilles tendon is associated with a significantly higher MFC. Key points • Two-point Dixon-based MRI allows accurate quantification of muscular fat content (MFC). • Quantitative analysis outperforms visual analysis in the detection of elevated MFC. • Achillodynia results in an increased MFC of the gastrocnemius muscles. • Structural damage of the Achilles tendon further increases the MFC.