1
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Hooijmans MT, Lockard CA, Zhou X, Coolbaugh C, Pineda Guzman R, Kersh ME, Damon BM. A registration strategy to characterize DTI-observed changes in skeletal muscle architecture due to passive shortening. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.11.589123. [PMID: 38645028 PMCID: PMC11030449 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.11.589123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/23/2024]
Abstract
Skeletal muscle architecture is a key determinant of muscle function. Architectural properties such as fascicle length, pennation angle, and curvature can be characterized using Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI), but acquiring these data during a contraction is not currently feasible. However, an image registration-based strategy may be able to convert muscle architectural properties observed at rest to their contracted state. As an initial step toward this long-term objective, the aim of this study was to determine if an image registration strategy could be used to convert the whole-muscle average architectural properties observed in the extended joint position to those of a flexed position, following passive rotation. DTI and high-resolution fat/water scans were acquired in the lower leg of seven healthy participants on a 3T MR system in +20° (plantarflexion) and -10° (dorsiflexion) foot positions. The diffusion and anatomical images from the two positions were used to propagate DTI fiber-tracts from seed points along a mesh representation of the aponeurosis of fiber insertion. The -10° and +20° anatomical images were registered and the displacement fields were used to transform the mesh and fiber-tracts from the +20° to the -10° position. Student's paired t-tests were used to compare the mean architectural parameters between the original and transformed fiber-tracts. The whole-muscle average fiber-tract length, pennation angle, curvature, and physiological cross-sectional areas estimates did not differ significantly. DTI fiber-tracts in plantarflexion can be transformed to dorsiflexion position without significantly affecting the average architectural characteristics of the fiber-tracts. In the future, a similar approach could be used to evaluate muscle architecture in a contracted state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa T. Hooijmans
- Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States of America
- Carle Clinical Imaging Research Program, Stephens Family Clinical Research Institute, Carle Health, Urbana, IL, United States of America
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Carly A. Lockard
- Carle Clinical Imaging Research Program, Stephens Family Clinical Research Institute, Carle Health, Urbana, IL, United States of America
| | - Xingyu Zhou
- Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States of America
- Carle Clinical Imaging Research Program, Stephens Family Clinical Research Institute, Carle Health, Urbana, IL, United States of America
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States of America
| | - Crystal Coolbaugh
- Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States of America
| | - Roberto Pineda Guzman
- Carle Clinical Imaging Research Program, Stephens Family Clinical Research Institute, Carle Health, Urbana, IL, United States of America
| | - Mariana E. Kersh
- Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States of America
- Department of Biomedical and Translational Sciences, Carle-Illinois College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States of America
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States of America
| | - Bruce M. Damon
- Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States of America
- Carle Clinical Imaging Research Program, Stephens Family Clinical Research Institute, Carle Health, Urbana, IL, United States of America
- Department of Biomedical and Translational Sciences, Carle-Illinois College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States of America
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States of America
- Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States of America
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States of America
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2
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Raya JG, Duarte A, Wang N, Mazzoli V, Jaramillo D, Blamire AM, Dietrich O. Applications of Diffusion-Weighted MRI to the Musculoskeletal System. J Magn Reson Imaging 2024; 59:376-396. [PMID: 37477576 DOI: 10.1002/jmri.28870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) is an established MRI technique that can investigate tissue microstructure at the scale of a few micrometers. Musculoskeletal tissues typically have a highly ordered structure to fulfill their functions and therefore represent an optimal application of DWI. Even more since disruption of tissue organization affects its biomechanical properties and may indicate irreversible damage. The application of DWI to the musculoskeletal system faces application-specific challenges on data acquisition including susceptibility effects, the low T2 relaxation time of most musculoskeletal tissues (2-70 msec) and the need for sub-millimetric resolution. Thus, musculoskeletal applications have been an area of development of new DWI methods. In this review, we provide an overview of the technical aspects of DWI acquisition including diffusion-weighting, MRI pulse sequences and different diffusion regimes to study tissue microstructure. For each tissue type (growth plate, articular cartilage, muscle, bone marrow, intervertebral discs, ligaments, tendons, menisci, and synovium), the rationale for the use of DWI and clinical studies in support of its use as a biomarker are presented. The review describes studies showing that DTI of the growth plate has predictive value for child growth and that DTI of articular cartilage has potential to predict the radiographic progression of joint damage in early stages of osteoarthritis. DTI has been used extensively in skeletal muscle where it has shown potential to detect microstructural and functional changes in a wide range of muscle pathologies. DWI of bone marrow showed to be a valuable tool for the diagnosis of benign and malignant acute vertebral fractures and bone metastases. DTI and diffusion kurtosis have been investigated as markers of early intervertebral disc degeneration and lower back pain. Finally, promising new applications of DTI to anterior cruciate ligament grafts and synovium are presented. The review ends with an overview of the use of DWI in clinical routine. EVIDENCE LEVEL: 5 TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 3.
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Affiliation(s)
- José G Raya
- Department of Radiology, NYU Langone Health, New York, New York, USA
| | - Alejandra Duarte
- Division of Musculoskeletal Radiology, Department of Radiology, Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Nian Wang
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Valentina Mazzoli
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Diego Jaramillo
- Department of Radiology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Andrew M Blamire
- Magnetic Resonance Centre, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Olaf Dietrich
- Department of Radiology, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
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3
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Secondulfo L, Hooijmans MT, Suskens JJ, Mazzoli V, Maas M, Tol JL, Nederveen AJ, Strijkers GJ. A diffusion tensor-based method facilitating volumetric assessment of fiber orientations in skeletal muscle. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0261777. [PMID: 35085267 PMCID: PMC8794095 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0261777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background
The purpose of this study was to develop a DTI-based method to quantitatively assess fiber angles and changes therein in leg muscles in order to facilitate longitudinal studies on muscle fiber architectural adaptations in healthy subjects.
Methods
The upper legs of five volunteers were scanned twice on the same day. The right lower legs of five volunteers were scanned twice with the ankle in three positions, i.e. -15° dorsiflexion, 0° neutral position, and 30° plantarflexion. The MRI protocols consisted of a noise scan, a 3-point mDixon scan and a DTI scan. Fiber-angle color maps were generated for four muscles in the upper legs and two muscles in the lower leg. Voxel-wise fiber angles (θ) were calculated from the angle between the principal eigenvector of the diffusion tensor and a reference line defined between the origo and insertion points of each muscle. Bland-Altman analysis, intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), coefficient of variation (CV%), minimal detectable change (MDC), standard error (SE) and Friedman test were used for assessing the feasibility of this method and in order to have an indication of the repeatability and the sensitivity.
Results
Bland-Altman analysis showed good repeatability (CV%<10 and 0.7≤ICC≤0.9) with exception of the Tibialis Anterior (TA) muscle in dorsiflexion position(CV%: 12.2) and the Semitendinosus (ST) muscle (left leg) (CV%: 11.4). The best repeatability metrics were found for the SOL muscle in neutral position (CV%: 2.6). Changes in average θ in TA and SOL with ankle positions were observed in accordance with expected agonist and antagonist functions of both muscles. For example, for the anterior left compartment the change in fiber angle Δθ with respect to the neutral position Δθ = -1.6° ± 0.8° and 2.2° ± 2.8° (p = 0.008), for dorsiflexion and plantarflexion, respectively.
Conclusion
Our method facilitates fast inspection and quantification of muscle fiber angles in the lower and upper leg muscles in rest and detection of changes in lower-leg muscle fiber angles with varying ankle angles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Secondulfo
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Physics, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- * E-mail:
| | - Melissa T. Hooijmans
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Physics, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Joep J. Suskens
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Valentina Mazzoli
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Mario Maas
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Johannes L. Tol
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Aart J. Nederveen
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Gustav J. Strijkers
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Physics, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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4
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Nayak KS, Lim Y, Campbell-Washburn AE, Steeden J. Real-Time Magnetic Resonance Imaging. J Magn Reson Imaging 2022; 55:81-99. [PMID: 33295674 PMCID: PMC8435094 DOI: 10.1002/jmri.27411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2020] [Revised: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Real-time magnetic resonance imaging (RT-MRI) allows for imaging dynamic processes as they occur, without relying on any repetition or synchronization. This is made possible by modern MRI technology such as fast-switching gradients and parallel imaging. It is compatible with many (but not all) MRI sequences, including spoiled gradient echo, balanced steady-state free precession, and single-shot rapid acquisition with relaxation enhancement. RT-MRI has earned an important role in both diagnostic imaging and image guidance of invasive procedures. Its unique diagnostic value is prominent in areas of the body that undergo substantial and often irregular motion, such as the heart, gastrointestinal system, upper airway vocal tract, and joints. Its value in interventional procedure guidance is prominent for procedures that require multiple forms of soft-tissue contrast, as well as flow information. In this review, we discuss the history of RT-MRI, fundamental tradeoffs, enabling technology, established applications, and current trends. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 5 TECHNICAL EFFICACY STAGE: 1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krishna S. Nayak
- Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA,Address reprint requests to: K.S.N., 3740 McClintock Ave, EEB 400C, Los Angeles, CA 90089-2564, USA.
| | - Yongwan Lim
- Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Adrienne E. Campbell-Washburn
- Cardiovascular Branch, Division of Intramural Research, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Jennifer Steeden
- Institute of Cardiovascular Science, Centre for Cardiovascular Imaging, University College London, London, UK
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5
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Mazzoli V, Moulin K, Kogan F, Hargreaves BA, Gold GE. Diffusion Tensor Imaging of Skeletal Muscle Contraction Using Oscillating Gradient Spin Echo. Front Neurol 2021; 12:608549. [PMID: 33658976 PMCID: PMC7917051 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2021.608549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) measures water diffusion in skeletal muscle tissue and allows for muscle assessment in a broad range of neuromuscular diseases. However, current DTI measurements, typically performed using pulsed gradient spin echo (PGSE) diffusion encoding, are limited to the assessment of non-contracted musculature, therefore providing limited insight into muscle contraction mechanisms and contraction abnormalities. In this study, we propose the use of an oscillating gradient spin echo (OGSE) diffusion encoding strategy for DTI measurements to mitigate the effect of signal voids in contracted muscle and to obtain reliable diffusivity values. Two OGSE sequences with encoding frequencies of 25 and 50 Hz were tested in the lower leg of five healthy volunteers with relaxed musculature and during active dorsiflexion and plantarflexion, and compared with a conventional PGSE approach. A significant reduction of areas of signal voids using OGSE compared with PGSE was observed in the tibialis anterior for the scans obtained in active dorsiflexion and in the soleus during active plantarflexion. The use of PGSE sequences led to unrealistically elevated axial diffusivity values in the tibialis anterior during dorsiflexion and in the soleus during plantarflexion, while the corresponding values obtained using the OGSE sequences were significantly reduced. Similar findings were seen for radial diffusivity, with significantly higher diffusivity measured in plantarflexion in the soleus muscle using the PGSE sequence. Our preliminary results indicate that DTI with OGSE diffusion encoding is feasible in human musculature and allows to quantitatively assess diffusion properties in actively contracting skeletal muscle. OGSE holds great potential to assess microstructural changes occurring in the skeletal muscle during contraction, and for non-invasive assessment of contraction abnormalities in patients with muscle diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Mazzoli
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
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6
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Strijkers GJ, Araujo EC, Azzabou N, Bendahan D, Blamire A, Burakiewicz J, Carlier PG, Damon B, Deligianni X, Froeling M, Heerschap A, Hollingsworth KG, Hooijmans MT, Karampinos DC, Loudos G, Madelin G, Marty B, Nagel AM, Nederveen AJ, Nelissen JL, Santini F, Scheidegger O, Schick F, Sinclair C, Sinkus R, de Sousa PL, Straub V, Walter G, Kan HE. Exploration of New Contrasts, Targets, and MR Imaging and Spectroscopy Techniques for Neuromuscular Disease - A Workshop Report of Working Group 3 of the Biomedicine and Molecular Biosciences COST Action BM1304 MYO-MRI. J Neuromuscul Dis 2020; 6:1-30. [PMID: 30714967 PMCID: PMC6398566 DOI: 10.3233/jnd-180333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Neuromuscular diseases are characterized by progressive muscle degeneration and muscle weakness resulting in functional disabilities. While each of these diseases is individually rare, they are common as a group, and a large majority lacks effective treatment with fully market approved drugs. Magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy techniques (MRI and MRS) are showing increasing promise as an outcome measure in clinical trials for these diseases. In 2013, the European Union funded the COST (co-operation in science and technology) action BM1304 called MYO-MRI (www.myo-mri.eu), with the overall aim to advance novel MRI and MRS techniques for both diagnosis and quantitative monitoring of neuromuscular diseases through sharing of expertise and data, joint development of protocols, opportunities for young researchers and creation of an online atlas of muscle MRI and MRS. In this report, the topics that were discussed in the framework of working group 3, which had the objective to: Explore new contrasts, new targets and new imaging techniques for NMD are described. The report is written by the scientists who attended the meetings and presented their data. An overview is given on the different contrasts that MRI can generate and their application, clinical needs and desired readouts, and emerging methods.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ericky C.A. Araujo
- NMR Laboratory, Neuromuscular Investigation Center, Institute of Myology & NMR Laboratory, CEA/DRF/IBFJ/MIRCen, Paris, France
| | - Noura Azzabou
- NMR Laboratory, Neuromuscular Investigation Center, Institute of Myology & NMR Laboratory, CEA/DRF/IBFJ/MIRCen, Paris, France
| | | | - Andrew Blamire
- Institute of Cellular Medicine, Newcastle University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK
| | - Jedrek Burakiewicz
- Department of Radiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Pierre G. Carlier
- NMR Laboratory, Neuromuscular Investigation Center, Institute of Myology & NMR Laboratory, CEA/DRF/IBFJ/MIRCen, Paris, France
| | - Bruce Damon
- Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, USA
| | - Xeni Deligianni
- Department of Radiology, Division of Radiological Physics, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland & Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | | | - Arend Heerschap
- Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Benjamin Marty
- NMR Laboratory, Neuromuscular Investigation Center, Institute of Myology & NMR Laboratory, CEA/DRF/IBFJ/MIRCen, Paris, France
| | - Armin M. Nagel
- Institute of Radiology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany & Division of Medical Physics in Radiology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | | | - Francesco Santini
- Department of Radiology, Division of Radiological Physics, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland & Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Olivier Scheidegger
- Department of Neurology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Switzerland
| | - Fritz Schick
- University of Tübingen, Section on Experimental Radiology, Tübingen, Germany
| | | | | | | | - Volker Straub
- Institute of Cellular Medicine, Newcastle University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK
| | | | - Hermien E. Kan
- Department of Radiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
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7
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Diffusion tensor imaging of the human thigh: consideration of DTI-based fiber tracking stop criteria. MAGNETIC RESONANCE MATERIALS IN PHYSICS BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE 2019; 33:343-355. [DOI: 10.1007/s10334-019-00791-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2019] [Revised: 10/04/2019] [Accepted: 10/22/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
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8
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Pereira Botelho D, Curran K, Lowery MM. Anatomically accurate model of EMG during index finger flexion and abduction derived from diffusion tensor imaging. PLoS Comput Biol 2019; 15:e1007267. [PMID: 31465437 PMCID: PMC6738720 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1007267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2019] [Revised: 09/11/2019] [Accepted: 07/08/2019] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
This study presents a modelling framework in which information on muscle fiber direction and orientation during contraction is derived from diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and incorporated in a computational model of the surface electromyographic (EMG) signal. The proposed model makes use of the principle of reciprocity to simultaneously calculate the electric potentials produced at the recording electrode by charges distributed along an arbitrary number of muscle fibers within the muscle, allowing for a computationally efficient evaluation of extracellular motor unit action potentials. The approach is applied to the complex architecture of the first dorsal interosseous (FDI) muscle of the hand to simulate EMG during index finger flexion and abduction. Using diffusion tensor imaging methods, the results show how muscle fiber orientation and curvature in this intrinsic hand muscle change during flexion and abduction. Incorporation of anatomically accurate muscle architecture and other hand tissue morphologies enables the model to capture variations in extracellular action potential waveform shape across the motor unit population and to predict experimentally observed differences in EMG signal features when switching from index finger abduction to flexion. The simulation results illustrate how structural and electrical properties of the tissues comprising the volume conductor, in combination with fiber direction and curvature, shape the detected action potentials. Using the model, the relative contribution of motor units of different sizes located throughout the muscle under both conditions is examined, yielding a prediction of the detection profile of the surface EMG electrode array over the muscle cross-section. Advances in diffusion tensor imaging are providing new information on muscle architecture and the orientation of muscle fibers in vivo. The arrangement of muscle fibers, in combination with geometrical and electrical properties of the surrounding biological tissues, shapes the electrical signal recorded at the skin surface during muscle contraction. As new recording and analysis methods enable muscle and motor unit activity to be examined during complex dynamic contractions, changes in muscle fiber orientation and surrounding tissue properties pose challenges for the interpretation of these data. Here we incorporate details of tissue geometry and muscle fiber architecture obtained using anatomical and diffusion MRI into an anatomically accurate model of electromyography (EMG) signal generation in the first dorsal interosseous muscle of the hand. The new modeling approach presented integrates interdependent electrical and geometrical properties in an anatomically accurate manner, leading to a realistic EMG model where tissue electrical properties are inherently related to bioelectric aspects of muscle activation. The results show how muscle fiber orientation and curvature change according to the direction of force generation, influencing the EMG signal, and provide new insights on how constitutive, anatomical and physiological properties contribute to shape motor unit action potentials detected at the skin surface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Pereira Botelho
- School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Kathleen Curran
- School of Medicine, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Madeleine M Lowery
- School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland
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9
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Bilston LE, Bolsterlee B, Nordez A, Sinha S. Contemporary image-based methods for measuring passive mechanical properties of skeletal muscles in vivo. J Appl Physiol (1985) 2019; 126:1454-1464. [PMID: 30236053 DOI: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00672.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Skeletal muscles' primary function in the body is mechanical: to move and stabilize the skeleton. As such, their mechanical behavior is a key aspect of their physiology. Recent developments in medical imaging technology have enabled quantitative studies of passive muscle mechanics, ranging from measurements of intrinsic muscle mechanical properties, such as elasticity and viscosity, to three-dimensional muscle architecture and dynamic muscle deformation and kinematics. In this review we summarize the principles and applications of contemporary imaging methods that have been used to study the passive mechanical behavior of skeletal muscles. Elastography measurements can provide in vivo maps of passive muscle mechanical parameters, and both MRI and ultrasound methods are available (magnetic resonance elastography and ultrasound shear wave elastography, respectively). Both have been shown to differentiate between healthy muscle and muscles affected by a broad range of clinical conditions. Detailed muscle architecture can now be depicted using diffusion tensor imaging, which not only is particularly useful for computational modeling of muscle but also has potential in assessing architectural changes in muscle disorders. More dynamic information about muscle mechanics can be obtained using a range of dynamic MRI methods, which characterize the detailed internal muscle deformations during motion. There are several MRI techniques available (e.g., phase-contrast MRI, displacement-encoded MRI, and "tagged" MRI), each of which can be collected in synchrony with muscle motion and postprocessed to quantify muscle deformation. Together, these modern imaging techniques can characterize muscle motion, deformation, mechanical properties, and architecture, providing complementary insights into skeletal muscle function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lynne E Bilston
- Neuroscience Research Australia, Randwick, New South Wales , Australia.,Prince of Wales Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Randwick, New South Wales , Australia
| | - Bart Bolsterlee
- Neuroscience Research Australia, Randwick, New South Wales , Australia.,Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, University of New South Wales , Kensington, New South Wales , Australia
| | - Antoine Nordez
- Health and Rehabilitation Research Institute, Auckland University of Technology , Auckland , New Zealand.,Movement, Interactions, Performance Laboratory (EA 4334), Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Nantes , Nantes , France
| | - Shantanu Sinha
- Muscle Imaging and Modeling Laboratory, Department of Radiology, University of California , San Diego, California
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10
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Bird L, D'Souza A, Ball I, Rae C, Herbert RD, Bolsterlee B. Validity and reliability of measurements of aponeurosis dimensions from magnetic resonance images. Scand J Med Sci Sports 2019; 29:808-815. [PMID: 30746780 DOI: 10.1111/sms.13407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2018] [Accepted: 02/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Muscle performance is closely related to the structure and function of tendons and aponeuroses, the sheet-like, intramuscular parts of tendons. The architecture of aponeuroses has been difficult to study with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) because these thin, collagen-rich connective tissues have very short transverse relaxation (T2) times and therefore provide a weak signal with conventional MRI sequences. Here, we validated measurements of aponeurosis dimensions from two MRI sequences commonly used in muscle-tendon research (mDixon and T1-weighted images), and an ultrashort echo time (UTE) sequence designed for imaging tissues with short T2 times. MRI-based measurements of aponeurosis width, length, and area of 20 sheep leg muscles were compared to direct measurements made with three-dimensional (3D) quantitative microdissection. The errors in measurement of aponeurosis width relative to the mean width were 1.8% for UTE, 3.7% for T1, and 18.8% for mDixon. For aponeurosis length, the errors were 7.6% for UTE, 1.9% for T1, and 21.0% for mDixon. Measurements from T1 and UTE scans were unbiased, but mDixon scans systematically underestimated widths, lengths, and areas of the aponeuroses. Using the same methods, we then found high inter-rater reliability (intraclass correlation coefficients >0.92 for all measures) of measurements of the dimensions of the central aponeurosis of the human tibialis anterior muscle from T1-weighted scans. We conclude that valid and reliable measurements of aponeurosis dimensions can be obtained from UTE and from T1-weighted scans. When the goal is to study the macroscopic architecture of aponeuroses, UTE does not hold an advantage over T1-weighted imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lachlan Bird
- Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Arkiev D'Souza
- Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Iain Ball
- Philips Australia & New Zealand, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Caroline Rae
- Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Robert D Herbert
- Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Bart Bolsterlee
- Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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11
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Klupp E, Cervantes B, Schlaeger S, Inhuber S, Kreuzpointer F, Schwirtz A, Rohrmeier A, Dieckmeyer M, Hedderich DM, Diefenbach MN, Freitag F, Rummeny EJ, Zimmer C, Kirschke JS, Karampinos DC, Baum T. Paraspinal Muscle DTI Metrics Predict Muscle Strength. J Magn Reson Imaging 2019; 50:816-823. [PMID: 30723976 PMCID: PMC6767405 DOI: 10.1002/jmri.26679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2018] [Revised: 01/20/2019] [Accepted: 01/23/2019] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The paraspinal muscles play an important role in the onset and progression of lower back pain. It would be of clinical interest to identify imaging biomarkers of the paraspinal musculature that are related to muscle function and strength. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) enables the microstructural examination of muscle tissue and its pathological changes. Purpose To investigate associations of DTI parameters of the lumbar paraspinal muscles with isometric strength measurements in healthy volunteers. Study Type Prospective. Subjects Twenty‐one healthy subjects (12 male, 9 female; age = 30.1 ± 5.6 years; body mass index [BMI] = 27.5 ± 2.6 kg/m2) were recruited. Field Strength/Sequence 3 T/single‐shot echo planar imaging (ss‐EPI) DTI in 24 directions; six‐echo 3D spoiled gradient echo sequence for chemical shift encoding‐based water–fat separation. Assessment Paraspinal muscles at the lumbar spine were examined. Erector spinae muscles were segmented bilaterally; cross‐sectional area (CSA), proton density fat fraction (PDFF), and DTI parameters were calculated. Muscle flexion and extension maximum isometric torque values [Nm] at the back were measured with an isokinetic dynamometer and the ratio of extension to flexion strength (E/F) calculated. Statistical Tests Pearson correlation coefficients; multivariate regression models. Results Significant positive correlations were found between the ratio of extension to flexion (E/F) strength and mean diffusivity (MD) (P = 0.019), RD (P = 0.02) and the eigenvalues (λ1: P = 0.026, λ2: P = 0.033, λ3: P = 0.014). In multivariate regression models λ3 of the erector spinae muscle λ3 and gender remained statistically significant predictors of E/F (R2adj = 0.42, P = 0.003). Data Conclusion DTI allowed the identification of muscle microstructure differences related to back muscle function that were not reflected by CSA and PDFF. DTI may potentially track subtle changes of back muscle tissue composition. Level of Evidence: 3 Technical Efficacy: Stage 2 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2019;50:816–823.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth Klupp
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany.,Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Barbara Cervantes
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Sarah Schlaeger
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany.,Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Stephanie Inhuber
- Biomechanics in Sports, Department of Sport and Health Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Florian Kreuzpointer
- Biomechanics in Sports, Department of Sport and Health Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Ansgar Schwirtz
- Biomechanics in Sports, Department of Sport and Health Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Alexander Rohrmeier
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Michael Dieckmeyer
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Dennis M Hedderich
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Maximilian N Diefenbach
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Friedemann Freitag
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Ernst J Rummeny
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Claus Zimmer
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Jan S Kirschke
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Dimitrios C Karampinos
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Thomas Baum
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
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Porcari P, Hall MG, Clark CA, Greally E, Straub V, Blamire AM. The effects of ageing on mouse muscle microstructure: a comparative study of time-dependent diffusion MRI and histological assessment. NMR IN BIOMEDICINE 2018; 31:e3881. [PMID: 29315904 DOI: 10.1002/nbm.3881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2017] [Revised: 11/09/2017] [Accepted: 11/10/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The investigation of age-related changes in muscle microstructure between developmental and healthy adult mice may help us to understand the clinical features of early-onset muscle diseases, such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy. We investigated the evolution of mouse hind-limb muscle microstructure using diffusion imaging of in vivo and in vitro samples from both actively growing and mature mice. Mean apparent diffusion coefficients (ADCs) of the gastrocnemius and tibialis anterior muscles were determined as a function of diffusion time (Δ), age (7.5, 22 and 44 weeks) and diffusion gradient direction, applied parallel or transverse to the principal axis of the muscle fibres. We investigated a wide range of diffusion times with the goal of probing a range of diffusion lengths characteristic of muscle microstructure. We compared the diffusion time-dependent ADC of hind-limb muscles with histology. ADC was found to vary as a function of diffusion time in muscles at all stages of maturation. Muscle water diffusivity was higher in younger (7.5 weeks) than in adult (22 and 44 weeks) mice, whereas no differences were observed between the older ages. In vitro data showed the same diffusivity pattern as in vivo data. The highlighted differences in diffusion properties between young and mature muscles suggested differences in underlying muscle microstructure, which were confirmed by histological assessment. In particular, although diffusion was more restricted in older muscle, muscle fibre size increased significantly from young to adult age. The extracellular space decreased with age by only ~1%. This suggests that the observed diffusivity differences between young and adult muscles may be caused by increased membrane permeability in younger muscle associated with properties of the sarcolemma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Porcari
- Institute of Genetic Medicine and Centre for In Vivo Imaging, Newcastle University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK
| | - Matt G Hall
- Developmental Imaging and Biophysics Section, UCL GOS Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Chris A Clark
- Developmental Imaging and Biophysics Section, UCL GOS Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Elizabeth Greally
- John Walton Muscular Dystrophy Research Centre, Institute of Genetic Medicine, Newcastle University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK
| | - Volker Straub
- John Walton Muscular Dystrophy Research Centre, Institute of Genetic Medicine, Newcastle University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK
| | - Andrew M Blamire
- Institute of Cellular Medicine and Centre for In Vivo Imaging, Newcastle University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK
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13
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Gijsbertse K, Goselink R, Lassche S, Nillesen M, Sprengers A, Verdonschot N, van Alfen N, de Korte C. Ultrasound Imaging of Muscle Contraction of the Tibialis Anterior in Patients with Facioscapulohumeral Dystrophy. ULTRASOUND IN MEDICINE & BIOLOGY 2017; 43:2537-2545. [PMID: 28764967 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2017.06.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2017] [Revised: 06/14/2017] [Accepted: 06/16/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
A need exists for biomarkers to diagnose, quantify and longitudinally follow facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) and many other neuromuscular disorders. Furthermore, the pathophysiological mechanisms leading to muscle weakness in most neuromuscular disorders are not completely understood. Dynamic ultrasound imaging (B-mode image sequences) in combination with speckle tracking is an easy, applicable and patient-friendly imaging tool to visualize and quantify muscle deformation. This dynamic information provides insight in the pathophysiological mechanisms and may help to distinguish the various stages of diseased muscle in FSHD. In this proof-of-principle study, we applied a speckle tracking technique to 2-D ultrasound image sequences to quantify the deformation of the tibialis anterior muscle in patients with FSHD and in healthy controls. The resulting deformation patterns were compared with muscle ultrasound echo intensity analysis (a measure of fat infiltration and dystrophy) and clinical outcome measures. Of the four FSHD patients, two patients had severe peroneal weakness and two patients had mild peroneal weakness on clinical examination. We found a markedly varied muscle deformation pattern between these groups: patients with severe peroneal weakness showed a different motion pattern of the tibialis anterior, with overall less displacement of the central tendon region, while healthy patients showed a non-uniform displacement pattern, with the central aponeurosis showing the largest displacement. Hence, dynamic muscle ultrasound of the tibialis anterior muscle in patients with FSHD revealed a distinctively different tissue deformation pattern among persons with and without tibialis anterior weakness. These findings could clarify the understanding of the pathophysiology of muscle weakness in FSHD patients. In addition, the change in muscle deformation shows good correlation with clinical measures and quantitative muscle ultrasound measurements. In conclusion, dynamic ultrasound in combination with speckle tracking allows the study of the effects of muscle pathology in relation to strength, force transmission and movement generation. Although further research is required, this technique can develop into a biomarker to quantify muscle disease severity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaj Gijsbertse
- Orthopaedic Research Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedics, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - Rianne Goselink
- Department of Neurology, Donders Centre for Neuroscience, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Saskia Lassche
- Department of Neurology, Donders Centre for Neuroscience, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Maartje Nillesen
- Medical Ultrasound Imaging Center (MUSIC), Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - André Sprengers
- Orthopaedic Research Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedics, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Laboratory of Biomechanical Engineering, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands
| | - Nico Verdonschot
- Orthopaedic Research Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedics, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Laboratory of Biomechanical Engineering, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands
| | - Nens van Alfen
- Department of Neurology, Donders Centre for Neuroscience, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Chris de Korte
- Medical Ultrasound Imaging Center (MUSIC), Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Physics of Fluids Group, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology and MIRA Institute for Biomedical Technology and Technical Medicine, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands
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14
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Bolsterlee B, D'Souza A, Gandevia SC, Herbert RD. How does passive lengthening change the architecture of the human medial gastrocnemius muscle? J Appl Physiol (1985) 2017; 122:727-738. [PMID: 28104754 DOI: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00976.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2016] [Revised: 12/21/2016] [Accepted: 01/16/2017] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
There are few comprehensive investigations of the changes in muscle architecture that accompany muscle contraction or change in muscle length in vivo. For this study, we measured changes in the three-dimensional architecture of the human medial gastrocnemius at the whole muscle level, the fascicle level and the fiber level using anatomical MRI and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Data were obtained from eight subjects under relaxed conditions at three muscle lengths. At the whole muscle level, a 5.1% increase in muscle belly length resulted in a reduction in both muscle width (mean change -2.5%) and depth (-4.8%). At the fascicle level, muscle architecture measurements obtained at 3,000 locations per muscle showed that for every millimeter increase in muscle-tendon length above the slack length, average fascicle length increased by 0.46 mm, pennation angle decreased by 0.27° (0.17° in the superficial part and 0.37° in the deep part), and fascicle curvature decreased by 0.18 m-1 There was no evidence of systematic variation in architecture along the muscle's long axis at any muscle length. At the fiber level, analysis of the diffusion signal showed that passive lengthening of the muscle increased diffusion along fibers and decreased diffusion across fibers. Using these measurements across scales, we show that the complex shape changes that muscle fibers, whole muscles, and aponeuroses of the medial gastrocnemius undergo in vivo cannot be captured by simple geometrical models. This justifies the need for more complex models that link microstructural changes in muscle fibers to macroscopic changes in architecture.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Novel MRI and DTI techniques revealed changes in three-dimensional architecture of the human medial gastrocnemius during passive lengthening. Whole muscle belly width and depth decreased when the muscle lengthened. Fascicle length, pennation, and curvature changed uniformly or near uniformly along the muscle during passive lengthening. Diffusion of water molecules in muscle changes in the same direction as fascicle strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bart Bolsterlee
- Neuroscience Research Australia, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia; and .,University of New South Wales, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Arkiev D'Souza
- Neuroscience Research Australia, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia; and.,University of New South Wales, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Simon C Gandevia
- Neuroscience Research Australia, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia; and.,University of New South Wales, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Robert D Herbert
- Neuroscience Research Australia, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia; and.,University of New South Wales, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia
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15
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Pubovisceralis Muscle Fiber Architecture Determination: Comparison Between Biomechanical Modeling and Diffusion Tensor Imaging. Ann Biomed Eng 2017; 45:1255-1265. [DOI: 10.1007/s10439-016-1788-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2016] [Accepted: 12/31/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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