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Quantitative evaluation of passive muscle stiffness by shear wave elastography in healthy individuals of different ages

  • Ultrasound
  • Published:
European Radiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objectives

To investigate age-related changes on passive muscle stiffness in healthy individuals and measure the shear modulus in different age groups.

Methods

Shear wave elastography (SWE) movies of gastrocnemius medialis (GM) were collected during passive stretching induced by ankle rotation from plantarflexion (PF) to dorsiflexion (DF). A series of SWE images at ankle angles of PF 40°, PF 30°, PF 20°, PF 10°, 0°, DF 10°, DF 20°, and DF 30° were collected and shear moduli measured accordingly for analyses.

Results

Eighty-six healthy volunteers (27 children, 31 middle-aged adults, and 28 older people) were recruited. No significant difference was observed in the shear modulus between the three groups at ankle angles of PF 40°, PF 30°, PF 20°, PF 10°, and 0° (p > 0.05). The difference in the shear modulus among the three groups became significant as DF increased. At ankle angles of DF 10°, DF 20°, and DF 30°, the shear modulus was the greatest in the older group, followed by the middle-aged group and then the children group (p = 0.007, 0.000, and 0.000, respectively).

Conclusions

Passive muscle stiffness increases with age, and the difference between age groups was pronounced only after reaching a certain degree of stretching.

Key Points

• The influence of age on passive muscle stiffness becomes pronounced only after reaching a certain degree of stretching.

• Age should be considered when evaluating passive muscle stiffness in muscular disorders.

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Abbreviations

BMI:

Body mass index

DF:

Dorsiflexion

GM:

Gastrocnemius medialis

PF:

Plantarflexion

RoM:

Range of motion

SWE:

Shear wave elastography

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Acknowledgments

We thank Yang Xiao (Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Science) for providing technical guidance.

Funding

Public Health Project of Futian District (FTWS2018049) and Shenzhen Science and Technology Project foundation (JCYJ20170817171836611).

Author information

Author notes

  1. Min Pan and Zhi-bo Wen contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, 253, Gongye Avenue, Guangzhou, 510282, Guangdong, China

    Xiao Liu, Hong-kui Yu & Zhi-bo Wen

  2. Department of Ultrasonography, Shenzhen Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, 6001, Beihuan Avenue, Shenzhen, 518034, Guangdong, China

    Xiao Liu, Si-min Liang, Hao Lu, Rui-yun Chen & Min Pan

  3. Shenzhen Middle School, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China

    Shu-ya Sheng

Authors
  1. Xiao Liu
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Min Pan or Zhi-bo Wen.

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Guarantor

The scientific guarantor of this publication is Zhi-bo Wen.

Conflict of interest

The authors of this manuscript declare no relationships with any companies whose products or services may be related to the subject matter of the article.

Statistics and biometry

Complex statistical methods were not necessary for our study.

Informed consent

Written informed consent was obtained from all study participants in this study.

Ethical approval

All procedures were approved by the Ethics Review Board of Shenzhen Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine (KYLS20190201) in Shenzhen, China.

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• Prospective

• Observational study

• Undertaken at one institution

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Liu, X., Yu, Hk., Sheng, Sy. et al. Quantitative evaluation of passive muscle stiffness by shear wave elastography in healthy individuals of different ages. Eur Radiol 31, 3187–3194 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-020-07367-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-020-07367-7

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