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Anisotropic composite material phantom to improve skeletal muscle characterization using magnetic resonance elastography.

ABSTRACT: The presence and progression of neuromuscular pathology, including spasticity, Duchenne's muscular dystrophy and hyperthyroidism, has been correlated with changes in the intrinsic mechanical properties of skeletal muscle tissue. Tools for noninvasively measuring and monitoring these properties, such as Magnetic Resonance Elastography (MRE), could benefit basic research into understanding neuromuscular pathologies, as well as translational research to develop therapies, by providing a means of assessing and tracking their efficacy. Dynamic elastography methods for noninvasive measurement of tissue mechanical properties have been under development for nearly three decades. Much of the technological development to date, for both Ultrasound (US)-based and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)-based strategies, has been grounded in assumptions of local homogeneity and isotropy. Striated skeletal and cardiac muscle, as well as brain white matter and soft tissue in some other organ regions, exhibit a fibrous microstructure which entails heterogeneity and anisotropic response; as one seeks to improve the accuracy and resolution in mechanical property assessment, heterogeneity and anisotropy need to be accounted for in order to optimize both the dynamic elastography experimental protocol and the interpretation of the measurements. Advances in elastography methodology at every step have been aided by the use of tissue-mimicking phantoms. The aim of the present study was to develop and characterize a heterogeneous composite phantom design with uniform controllable anisotropic properties meant to be comparable to the frequency-dependent anisotropic properties of skeletal muscle. MRE experiments and computational finite element (FE) studies were conducted on a novel 3D-printed composite phantom design. The displacement maps obtained from simulation and experiment show the same elliptical shaped wavefronts elongated in the plane where the structure presents higher shear modulus. The model exhibits a degree of anisotropy in line with literature data from skeletal muscle tissue MRE experiments. FE simulations of the MRE experiments provide insight into proper interpretation of experimental measurements, and help to quantify the importance of heterogeneity in the anisotropic material at different scales.

SUBMITTER: Guidetti M

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6211788 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Anisotropic composite material phantom to improve skeletal muscle characterization using magnetic resonance elastography.

Guidetti Martina M Lorgna Gloria G Hammersly Margaret M Lewis Phillip P Lewis Phillip P Klatt Dieter D Vena Pasquale P Shah Ramille R Royston Thomas J TJ

Journal of the mechanical behavior of biomedical materials 20180925

The presence and progression of neuromuscular pathology, including spasticity, Duchenne's muscular dystrophy and hyperthyroidism, has been correlated with changes in the intrinsic mechanical properties of skeletal muscle tissue. Tools for noninvasively measuring and monitoring these properties, such as Magnetic Resonance Elastography (MRE), could benefit basic research into understanding neuromuscular pathologies, as well as translational research to develop therapies, by providing a means of as ...[more]

PMID: 30292169

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Project description:The current state-of-the-art diagnosis method for deep tissue injury in muscle, a subcategory of pressure ulcers, is palpation. It is recognized that deep tissue injury is frequently preceded by altered biomechanical properties. A quantitative understanding of the changes in biomechanical properties preceding and during deep tissue injury development is therefore highly desired. In this paper we quantified the spatial-temporal changes in mechanical properties upon damage development and recovery in a rat model of deep tissue injury. Deep tissue injury was induced in nine rats by two hours of sustained deformation of the tibialis anterior muscle. Magnetic resonance elastography (MRE), T2 -weighted, and T2 -mapping measurements were performed before, directly after indentation, and at several timepoints during a 14-day follow-up. The results revealed a local hotspot of elevated shear modulus (from 3.30 ± 0.14 kPa before to 4.22 ± 0.90 kPa after) near the center of deformation at Day 0, whereas the T2 was elevated in a larger area. During recovery there was a clear difference in the time course of the shear modulus and T2 . Whereas T2 showed a gradual normalization towards baseline, the shear modulus dropped below baseline from Day 3 up to Day 10 (from 3.29 ± 0.07 kPa before to 2.68 ± 0.23 kPa at Day 10, P < 0.001), followed by a normalization at Day 14. In conclusion, we found an initial increase in shear modulus directly after two hours of damage-inducing deformation, which was followed by decreased shear modulus from Day 3 up to Day 10, and subsequent normalization. The lower shear modulus originates from the moderate to severe degeneration of the muscle. MRE stiffness values were affected in a smaller area as compared with T2 . Since T2 elevation is related to edema, distributing along the muscle fibers proximally and distally from the injury, we suggest that MRE is more specific than T2 for localization of the actual damaged area.

Project description:Skeletal muscle stiffness is altered after spinal cord injury (SCI). Assessing muscle stiffness is essential for rehabilitation and pharmaceutical interventions design after SCI. The study used magnetic resonance elastography to assess the changes in stiffness after chronic SCI compared to matched able-bodied controls and determine its association with muscle size, spasticity, and peak torque in persons with SCI. Previous studies examined the association between muscle stiffness and spasticity, however, we are unaware of other studies that examined the effects of muscle composition on stiffness after SCI. Ten participants (one female) with chronic SCI and eight (one female) matched able-bodied controls participated in this cross-sectional study. Magnetic resonance elastography was utilized to monitor stiffness derived from shear waves propagation. Modified Ashworth scale was used to evaluate spasticity scores in a blinded fashion. Peak isometric and isokinetic torques were measured using a biodex dynamometer. Stiffness values were non-significantly lower (12.5%; P = 0.3) in the SCI group compared to able-bodied controls. Moreover, stiffness was positively related to vastus lateralis whole muscle cross-sectional area (CSA) (r2 = 0.64, P < 0.005) and vastus lateralis absolute muscle CSA after accounting for intramuscular fat (r2 = 0.78, P < 0.0007). Stiffness was also positively correlated to both isometric (r2= 0.55-0.57, P < 0.05) and isokinetic peak (r2= 0.46-0.48, P < 0.05) torques. Our results suggest that larger clinical trial is warranted to confirm the preliminary findings that muscle stiffness is altered after SCI compared to healthy controls. Stiffness appeared to be influenced by infiltration of intramuscular fat and modestly by the spasticity of the paralyzed muscles. The preliminary data indicated that the relationship between muscle stiffness and peak torque is not altered with changing the frequency of pulses or angular velocities. All study procedures were approved by the Institutional Review Board at the Hunter Holmes McGuire VA Medical Center, USA (IRB #: 02314) on May 3, 2017.

Dataset Information

Anisotropic composite material phantom to improve skeletal muscle characterization using magnetic resonance elastography.

Publications

Anisotropic composite material phantom to improve skeletal muscle characterization using magnetic resonance elastography.

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