Skip to main content
Top
Published in: BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders 1/2017

Open Access 01-12-2017 | Research article

Supraspinatus muscle elasticity measured with real time shear wave ultrasound elastography correlates with MRI spectroscopic measured amount of fatty degeneration

Authors: Fabian Gilbert, Detlef Klein, Andreas Max Weng, Herbert Köstler, Benedikt Schmitz, Jonas Schmalzl, Dirk Böhm

Published in: BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders | Issue 1/2017

Login to get access

Abstract

Background

Fatty Degeneration (FD) of the rotator cuff muscles influences functional and anatomical outcome after rotator cuff repair. The MRI based estimation of fatty degeneration is the gold standard. There is some evidence that Ultrasound elastography (EUS) can detect local differences of tissue stiffness in muscles and tendons. Shear-wave elastography (SWE) was evaluated to determine the extent to which shear wave velocity was associated with measures of fatty degeneration. MRI-spectroscopic fat measurement was used as a reference to quantify the amount of fat in the muscle belly.

Methods

Forty-two patients underwent SWE of the supraspinatus muscles at its thickest diameter. After ultrasound evaluation an MRI-spectroscopic fat measurement of the supraspinatus muscle was performed using the SPLASH-technique. A gel filled capsule was used to locate the measured area in the MRI. The values of shear wave velocity (SWV) measured with SWE and spectroscopic fat measurement were correlated statistically using Pearson’s correlation test.

Results

Correlation of the fat amount measured with MRI-spectroscopy and the SWV measured with SWE was ρ =0.82. Spectroscopic measured fat ratio of the supraspinatus muscle ranged from 0% to 77.41% and SWV from 1.59 m/s to 5.32 m/s. In 4 patients no sufficient SWE could be performed, these individuals showed a larger diameter of the overlying soft tissue. SWV measured with SWE showed a good correlation with MRI spectroscopic fat amount of the supraspinatus muscle.

Conclusion

These preliminary data suggest that SWE may be a sufficient tool in detecting and estimating the amount of fatty degeneration in the supraspinatus muscle in real time. Large overlying soft tissue may be a limitation in performing sufficient EUS.
Ethical Committee Approval: Nr: 156/14 Date 12th August 2014.
Level of Evidence: III.
Literature
6.
go back to reference Faschingbauer R, Schreiber V, Feuchtner G, Soegner P, Smekal V, Jaschke W KA. Evaluation of findings in Sonoelastography (SEL) in fatty atrophy in rotator cuff compared to magnetic resonance tomography (MRT). In: Euroson 2010; august 22–25; Copenhagen. Copenhagen: Faschingbauer R; 2010. Faschingbauer R, Schreiber V, Feuchtner G, Soegner P, Smekal V, Jaschke W KA. Evaluation of findings in Sonoelastography (SEL) in fatty atrophy in rotator cuff compared to magnetic resonance tomography (MRT). In: Euroson 2010; august 22–25; Copenhagen. Copenhagen: Faschingbauer R; 2010.
8.
go back to reference Ferraioli G, Tinelli C, Zicchetti M, Above E, Poma G, Di Gregorio M, et al. Reproducibility of real-time shear wave elastography in the evaluation of liver elasticity. Eur J Radiol. 2012;81(11):3102–6. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ejrad.2012.05.030doi:10.1016/j.ejrad.2012.05.030CrossRefPubMed Ferraioli G, Tinelli C, Zicchetti M, Above E, Poma G, Di Gregorio M, et al. Reproducibility of real-time shear wave elastography in the evaluation of liver elasticity. Eur J Radiol. 2012;81(11):3102–6. Available from: http://​dx.​doi.​org/​10.​1016/​j.​ejrad.​2012.​05.​030doi:10.1016/j.ejrad.2012.05.030CrossRefPubMed
9.
10.
go back to reference Gerber C, Fuchs B, Hodler J. The results of repair of massive tears of the rotator cuff. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2000;82:505–15.CrossRefPubMed Gerber C, Fuchs B, Hodler J. The results of repair of massive tears of the rotator cuff. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2000;82:505–15.CrossRefPubMed
12.
20.
go back to reference Mellado JM, Calmet J, Olona M, Esteve C, Camins A, Pérez Del Palomar L, et al. Surgically repaired massive rotator cuff tears: MRI of tendon integrity, muscle fatty degeneration, and muscle atrophy correlated with intraoperative and clinical findings. In: American journal of Roentgenology; 2005. p. 1456–63. https://doi.org/10.2214/ajr.184.5.01841456. Mellado JM, Calmet J, Olona M, Esteve C, Camins A, Pérez Del Palomar L, et al. Surgically repaired massive rotator cuff tears: MRI of tendon integrity, muscle fatty degeneration, and muscle atrophy correlated with intraoperative and clinical findings. In: American journal of Roentgenology; 2005. p. 1456–63. https://​doi.​org/​10.​2214/​ajr.​184.​5.​01841456.
22.
go back to reference Muraki T, Ishikawa H, Morise S, Yamamoto N, Sano H, Itoi E, et al. Ultrasound elastography-based assessment of the elasticity of the supraspinatus muscle and tendon during muscle contraction. J Shoulder Elb Surg. 2014;24(1):120–6. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jse.2014.04.012doi:10.1016/j.jse.2014.04.012CrossRef Muraki T, Ishikawa H, Morise S, Yamamoto N, Sano H, Itoi E, et al. Ultrasound elastography-based assessment of the elasticity of the supraspinatus muscle and tendon during muscle contraction. J Shoulder Elb Surg. 2014;24(1):120–6. Available from: http://​dx.​doi.​org/​10.​1016/​j.​jse.​2014.​04.​012doi:10.1016/j.jse.2014.04.012CrossRef
Metadata
Title
Supraspinatus muscle elasticity measured with real time shear wave ultrasound elastography correlates with MRI spectroscopic measured amount of fatty degeneration
Authors
Fabian Gilbert
Detlef Klein
Andreas Max Weng
Herbert Köstler
Benedikt Schmitz
Jonas Schmalzl
Dirk Böhm
Publication date
01-12-2017
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders / Issue 1/2017
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2474
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12891-017-1911-8

Other articles of this Issue 1/2017

BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders 1/2017 Go to the issue