Predictive Value of Temporal Muscle Thickness Measurements on Cranial Magnetic Resonance Images in the Prognosis of Patients With Primary Glioblastoma

The relationship between prognosis and temporal muscle thickness in 102 patients with glioblastoma

Temporal muscle thickness measured on 3D MRI has recently been linked to prognosis in glioblastoma patients and may serve as an independent prognostic indicator. This single-center study looked at temporal muscle thickness and prognosis in patients with primary glioblastoma. Overall survival was the major study outcome. For a retrospective analysis from 2010 to 2020, clinical data from 102 patients with glioblastoma at the Department of Oncology Radiotherapy of the First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University were gathered. Fifty-five cases from 2016 to 2020 contained glioblastoma molecular typing data, of which 45 were IDH wild-type glioblastomas and were analysed separately. TMT was measured on enhanced T1-weighted magnetic resonance images in patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma.Overall patient survival (OS) was calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method and survival curves were plotted using the log-rank-sum test to determine differences between groups, and multifactorial analyses were performed using a Cox proportional-risk model.The median TMT for 102 patients was 6.775 mm (range: 4.95-10.45 mm). Patients were grouped according to median TMT, and the median overall survival (23.0 months) was significantly longer in the TMT > median group than in the TMT median group (P 0.001; Log-rank test). Analysing 45 patients with IDH wild type alone, the median overall survival (12 months) of patients in the TMT > median group was significantly longer than that of patients in the TMT ≤ median group (8 months) (P < 0.001; Log-rank test).TMT can serve as an independent prognostic factor for glioblastoma.

The prognostic utility of temporalis muscle thickness measured on magnetic resonance scans in patients with intra-axial malignant brain tumours: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Introduction

Sarcopenia is associated with worsened outcomes in solid cancers. Temporalis muscle thickness (TMT) has emerged as a measure of sarcopenia. Hence, this study aims to evaluate the relationship between TMT and outcome measures in patients with malignant intra-axial neoplasms.

Method

We searched Medline, Embase, Scopus and Cochrane databases for relevant studies. Event ratios with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were analysed using the RevMan 5.4 software. Where meta-analysis was impossible, vote counting was used to determine the effect of TMT on outcomes. The GRADE framework was used to determine the certainty of the evidence.

Results

Four outcomes were reported for three conditions across 17 studies involving 4430 patients. Glioblastoma: thicker TMT was protective for overall survival (OS) (HR 0.59; 95% CI 0.46-0.76) (GRADE low), progression free survival (PFS) (HR 0.40; 95% CI 0.26-0.62) (GRADE high), and early discontinuation of treatment (OR 0.408; 95% CI 0.168-0.989) (GRADE high); no association with complications (HR 0.82; 95% CI 0.60-1.10) (GRADE low). Brain Metastases: thicker TMT was protective for OS (HR 0.73; 95% CI 0.67-0.78) (GRADE moderate); no association with PFS (GRADE low). Primary CNS Lymphoma: TMT was protective for overall survival (HR 0.34; 95% CI 0.19-0.60) (GRADE moderate) and progression free survival (HR 0.23; 95% CI 0.09-0.56) (GRADE high).

Conclusion

TMT has significant prognostic potential in intra-axial malignant neoplasms, showing a moderate to high certainty for its association with outcomes following GRADE evaluation. This will enable shared decision making between patients and clinicians.

Feasibility of using cross-sectional area of masticatory muscles to predict sarcopenia in healthy aging subjects

Determination of sarcopenia is crucial in identifying patients at high risk of adverse health outcomes. Recent studies reported a significant decline in masticatory muscle (MM) function in patients with sarcopenia. This study aimed to analyze the cross-sectional area (CSA) of MMs on computed tomography (CT) images and to explore their potential to predict sarcopenia. The study included 149 adult subjects retrospectively (59 males, 90 females, mean age 57.4 ± 14.8 years) who underwent head and neck CT examination for diagnostic purposes. Sarcopenia was diagnosed on CT by measuring CSA of neck muscles at the C3 vertebral level and estimating skeletal muscle index. CSA of MMs (temporal, masseter, medial pterygoid, and lateral pterygoid) were measured bilaterally on reference CT slices. Sarcopenia was diagnosed in 67 (45%) patients. Univariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated a significant association between CSA of all MMs and sarcopenia. In the multivariate logistic regression model, only masseter CSA, lateral pterygoid CSA, age, and gender were marked as predictors of sarcopenia. These parameters were combined in a regression equation, which showed excellent sensitivity and specificity in predicting sarcopenia. The masseter and lateral pterygoid CSA can be used to predict sarcopenia in healthy aging subjects with a high accuracy.

Automated temporalis muscle quantification and growth charts for children through adulthood

Lean muscle mass (LMM) is an important aspect of human health. Temporalis muscle thickness is a promising LMM marker but has had limited utility due to its unknown normal growth trajectory and reference ranges and lack of standardized measurement. Here, we develop an automated deep learning pipeline to accurately measure temporalis muscle thickness (iTMT) from routine brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We apply iTMT to 23,876 MRIs of healthy subjects, ages 4 through 35, and generate sex-specific iTMT normal growth charts with percentiles. We find that iTMT was associated with specific physiologic traits, including caloric intake, physical activity, sex hormone levels, and presence of malignancy. We validate iTMT across multiple demographic groups and in children with brain tumors and demonstrate feasibility for individualized longitudinal monitoring. The iTMT pipeline provides unprecedented insights into temporalis muscle growth during human development and enables the use of LMM tracking to inform clinical decision-making.

The relationship between temporal muscle thickness and triglyceride glucose index in sarcopenia with mortality and third-month functional outcomes in patients after acute stroke

Especially in recent years, temporal muscle thickness has been used as an important parameter for sarcopenia in neurological disorders. In addition, triglyceride glucose index was evaluated separately in studies conducted in terms of coronary diseases, diabetes, high blood pressure, body mass index and acute stroke. In this clinical study, unlike the others, both temporal muscle thickness and triglyceride glucose index were evaluated together in acute stroke patients in terms of sarcopenia. We aimed to investigate the relationship between temporal muscle thickness and triglyceride glucose index, which is atherosclerotic index, with mortality and 3rd month functional outcomes in acute stroke patients. In this retrospective study, 147 patients admitted to Ankara City Hospital with the diagnosis of acute ischemic stroke between January 2021 and September 2022 were evaluated. Fasting triglyceride glucose indexes of the patients were calculated. The temporal muscle thickness measurement of the patients was performed by the radiologist using computed tomography images. Those who scored 3 or higher on the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) at the third month were considered to have poor functional outcome. A significant cutoff point was found for estimating mortality for the temporal muscle thickness parameter [area under the curve for a receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) = 0.636; P = .012]. The cutoff point was obtained as ≤ 5.2. Sensitivity value was 65%, specificity value was 65%, the positive predictive value (PPV) value was 42.62% and the negative predictive value (NPV) value was 82.28%. Similarly, for the triglyceride glucose index parameter, there was a significant cutoff point in estimating mortality (AUC = 0.673; P = .003). The cutoff point was obtained as ≥ 8.23. Sensitivity value was 91.18%, specificity value was 13%, PPV value was 26.96% and NPV value was 81%. Temporal muscle thickness and triglyceride glucose index parameters were found to be statistically important parameters of sarcopenia. It was concluded that the evaluation of these 2 parameters in terms of both mortality and sarcopenia in acute stroke patients is important in the evaluation of neurological and cardiac disorders.

The relationship between temporal muscle thickness and disease activity in Cushing's disease

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between hypercortisolism and temporal muscle thickness (TMT) in Cushing's disease (CD).

METHODS

A retrospective review of medical records was conducted for patients with CD who presented to our clinic between 2012 and 2022. Biochemical data and TMT measurements from sella imaging were evaluated during diagnosis and the first postoperative year.

RESULTS

A total of 44 patients were included in the study, with an average age of 43.9 years, of which 38 were female. The mean TMT at the time of diagnosis was 19.07 ± 1.71 mm, with no significant difference between males and females (p = 0.097), and no correlation between the TMT and age at diagnosis (p = 0.497). There was an inverse relationship between TMT and serum cortisol levels, 24-h UFC, and midnight salivary cortisol at the time of diagnosis of CD (p < 0.05, for all). One year after surgery, TMT significantly increased in all patients compared to baseline (p < 0.001). Furthermore, patients who achieved postoperative remission had significantly higher TMT values compared to those who did not achieve remission (p = 0.043). Among the patients who achieved remission, those who achieved remission through surgery had significantly higher TMT compared to those who could not reach remission with surgery and patients who started medical treatment and achieved biochemical remission (p = 0.01). Patients with severe myopathy and sarcopenia had significantly lower TMT values than the others (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Temporal muscle thickness was found to be associated with disease activity and disease control in Cushing's disease.

Advances in the relationship between temporal muscle thickness and prognosis of patients with glioblastoma: a narrative review

The most dangerous variety of glioma, glioblastoma, has a high incidence and fatality rate. The prognosis for patients is still bleak despite numerous improvements in treatment approaches. We urgently need to develop clinical parameters that can evaluate patients' conditions and predict their prognosis. Various parameters are available to assess the patient's preoperative performance status and degree of frailty, but most of these parameters are subjective and therefore subject to interobserver variability. Sarcopenia can be used as an objective metric to measure a patient's physical status because studies have shown that it is linked to a bad prognosis in those with cancers. For the purpose of identifying sarcopenia, temporal muscle thickness has demonstrated to be a reliable alternative for a marker of skeletal muscle content. As a result, patients with glioblastoma may use temporal muscle thickness as a potential marker to correlate with the course and fate of their disease. This narrative review highlights and defines the viability of using temporal muscle thickness as an independent predictor of survival in glioblastoma patients, and it evaluates recent research findings on the association between temporal muscle thickness and prognosis of glioblastoma patients.

Prognostic value of temporal muscle thickness, a novel radiographic marker of sarcopenia, in patients with brain tumor: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Sarcopenia has been identified as a prognostic factor among certain types of cancer. However, it is unclear whether there is prognostic value of temporalis muscle thickness (TMT), a potential surrogate for sarcopenia, in adults patients with brain tumors. Therefore, we searched the Medline, Embase, and PubMed to systematically review and meta-analyze the relationship between TMT and overall survival, progression-free survival, and complications in patients with brain tumors and the hazard ratio (HR) or odds ratios (OR), and 95% confidence interval (CI) were evaluated. The quality in prognostic studies (QUIPS) instrument was employed to evaluate study quality. Nineteen studies involving 4570 patients with brain tumors were included for qualitative and quantitative analysis. Meta-analysis revealed thinner TMT was associated with poor overall survival (HR, 1.72; 95% CI, 1.45-2.04; P < 0.01) in patients with brain tumors. Sub-analyses showed that the association existed for both primary brain tumors (HR, 2.02; 95% CI, 1.55-2.63) and brain metastases (HR, 1.39; 95% CI, 1.30-1.49). Moreover, thinner TMT also was the independent predictor of progression-free survival in patients with primary brain tumors (HR, 2.88; 95% CI, 1.85-4.46; P < 0.01). Therefore, to improve clinical decision making it is important to integrate TMT assessment into routine clinical settings in patients with brain tumors.

The possible relation between temporal muscle mass and glioblastoma multiforme prognosis via sarcopenia perspective

BACKGROUND

The optimal sarcopenia measurement method in patients with a diagnosis of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is unknown. It has been found that temporal muscle thickness (TMT) may reflect sarcopenia and be associated with survival, but the relationship between temporal muscle area (TMA) and GBM prognosis has never been evaluated before. The primary outcome of the study was to evaluate the relationship between TMA/TMT and overall survival (OS) time in newly diagnosed GBM patients.

METHODS

The data of patients who presented at the university hospital between January 2009 and January 2019 with a confirmed diagnosis of glioblastoma multiforme at the time of diagnosis were analyzed retrospectively. Temporal muscle thickness and TMA were measured retrospectively from preoperative MRIs of patients diagnosed with GBM. Due to the small number of patients and the failure to determine a cut-off value with acceptable sensitivity and specificity using ROC analysis, the median values were chosen as the cut-off value. The patients were basically divided into two according to their median TMT (6.6 mm) or TMA (452 mm2 ) values, and survival analysis was performed with the Kaplan-Meier analysis.

RESULTS

The median TMT value was 6.6 mm, and the median TMA value was 452 mm2 . The median overall survival (OS) was calculated as 25.8 months in patients with TMT < 6.6 mm, and 15.8 months in patients with TMT ≥ 6.6 mm (p = 0.29). The median overall survival (OS) of patients with TMA < 452mm2 was 26.3 months, and the group with TMA ≥ 452mm2 was 14.6 months (p = 0.06). The median disease-free survival was 18.3 months (%95 CI: 13.2-23.4) in patients with TMT < 6.6mm, while mDFS was 10.9 (%95 CI: 8.0-13.8) months in patients with TMT ≥ 6.6mm (p = 0.21). The median disease-free survival was found to be 21.0 months (%95 CI: 15.8-26.1) in patients with TMA < 452 mm2 and 10.5 months (%95 CI: 7.8-13.2) in patients with TMA ≥ 452 mm2 (p = 0.018).

DISCUSSION

No association could be demonstrated between TMT or TMA and OS of GBM patients. In addition, the median DFS was found to be longer in patients with low TMA. There is an unmet need to determine the optimal method of sarcopenia in GBM patients.

Correlation of reduced temporal muscle thickness and systemic muscle loss in newly diagnosed glioblastoma patients

PURPOSE

Reduced temporal muscle thickness (TMT) has recently been postulated as a prognostic imaging marker and an objective tool to assess patients frailty in glioblastoma. Our aim is to investigate the correlation of TMT and systemic muscle loss to confirm that TMT is an adequate surrogate marker of sarcopenia in newly diagnosed glioblastoma patients.

METHODS

TMT was assessed on preoperative MR-images and skeletal muscle area (SMA) was assessed at the third lumbar vertebra on preoperative abdominal CT-scans. Previous published TMT sex-specific cut-off values were used to classify patients as 'patient at risk of sarcopenia' or 'patient with normal muscle status'. Correlation between TMT and SMA was assessed using Spearman's rank correlation coefficient.

RESULTS

Sixteen percent of the 245 included patients were identified as at risk of sarcopenia. The mean SMA of glioblastoma patients at risk of sarcopenia (124.3 cm2, SD 30.8 cm2) was significantly lower than the mean SMA of patients with normal muscle status (146.3 cm2, SD 31.1 cm2, P < .001). We found a moderate association between TMT and SMA in the patients with normal muscle status (Spearman's rho 0.521, P < .001), and a strong association in the patients at risk of sarcopenia (Spearman's rho 0.678, P < .001).

CONCLUSION

Our results confirm the use of TMT as a surrogate marker of total body skeletal muscle mass in glioblastoma, especially in frail patients at risk of sarcopenia. TMT can be used to identify patients with muscle loss early in the disease process, which enables the implementation of adequate intervention strategies.

Diagnostic Utility of Temporal Muscle Thickness as a Monitoring Tool for Muscle Wasting in Neurocritical Care

Temporalis muscle (TM) atrophy has emerged as a potential biomarker for muscle wasting. However, its diagnostic utility as a monitoring tool in intensive care remains uncertain. Hence, the objective of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of sequential ultrasound- and computed tomography (CT)-based measurements of TM thickness (TMT). With a prospective observational design, we included 40 patients without preexisting sarcopenia admitted to a neurointensive care unit. TMT measurements, performed upon admission and serially every 3−4 days, were correlated with rectus femoris muscle thickness (RFT) ultrasound measurements. Interrater reliability was assessed by Bland Altmann plots and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Analysis of variance was performed in subgroups to evaluate differences in the standard error of measurement (SEM). RFT decline was paralleled by ultrasound- as well as CT-based TMT measurements (TMT to RFT: r = 0.746, p < 0.001; CT-based TMT to ultrasound-based RFT: r = 0.609, p < 0.001). ICC was 0.80 [95% CI 0.74, 0.84] for ultrasound-based assessment and 0.90 [95% CI 0.88, 0.92] for CT-based TMT measurements. Analysis of variance for BMI, Heckmatt score, fluid balance, and agitation showed no evidence of measurement errors in these subgroups. This study demonstrates the clinical feasibility and utility of ultrasound- and CT-based TMT measurements for the assessment of muscle wasting.

Use of Facial Morphology to Determine Nutritional Status in Older Adults: Opportunities and Challenges

Undiagnosed malnutrition is a significant problem in high-income countries, which can reduce the quality of life of many individuals, particularly of older adults. Moreover, it can also inflate the costs of existing health care systems because of the many metabolic complications that it can cause. The current methods for assessing malnutrition can be cumbersome. A trained practitioner must be present to conduct an assessment, or patients must travel to facilities with specialized equipment to obtain their measurements. Therefore, digital health care is a possible way of closing this gap as it is rapidly gaining traction as a scalable means of improving efficiency in the health care system. It allows for the remote monitoring of nutritional status without requiring the physical presence of practitioners or the use of advanced medical equipment. As such, there is an increasing interest in expanding the range of digital applications to facilitate remote monitoring and management of health issues. In this study, we discuss the feasibility of a novel digital remote method for diagnosing malnutrition using facial morphometrics. Many malnutrition screening assessments include subjective assessments of the head and the face. Facial appearance is often used by clinicians as the first point of qualitative indication of health status. Hence, there may be merit in quantifying these subtle but observable changes using facial morphometrics. Modern advancements in artificial intelligence, data science, sensors, and computing technologies allow facial features to be accurately digitized, which could potentially allow these previously intuitive assessments to be quantified. This study aims to stimulate further discussion and discourse on how this emerging technology can be used to provide real-time access to nutritional status. The use of facial morphometrics extends the use of currently available technology and may provide a scalable, easily deployable solution for nutritional status to be monitored in real time. This will enable clinicians and dietitians to keep track of patients remotely and provide the necessary intervention measures as required, as well as providing health care institutions and policy makers with essential information that can be used to inform and enable targeted public health approaches within affected populations.

Sarcopenia Diagnosed Using Masseter Muscle Diameter as a Survival Correlate in Elderly Patients with Glioblastoma

BACKGROUND

Elderly patients with glioblastoma (GBM) have a worse prognosis than do younger patients. The present study aimed to identify the patient, treatment, and imaging features, including measures of sarcopenia, associated with worse survival and 90-day postoperative mortality for elderly patients with GBM.

METHODS

A single-center retrospective study was conducted of patients aged ≥79 years at surgery who had undergone biopsy or resection of a World Health Organization grade IV GBM at the initial diagnosis. Imaging features of sarcopenia were collected, including the masseter and temporalis muscle diameters. Multivariate analyses were performed to identify factors associated with survival and 30-day complications.

RESULTS

The cohort included 110 patients with a mean age of 82.8 years at surgery and a median preoperative Karnofsky performance scale score of 80. The majority of patients underwent a surgical resection (66.4%) while a minority underwent biopsy (33.6%). Adjuvant chemo- and/or radiation therapy were used in 72.5% of the cohort. On multivariate analysis, age (hazard ratio [HR], 7.97; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.63-36.3), adjuvant therapy (RT or TMZ vs. none: HR, 0.12; 95% CI, 0.05-0.3; RT plus TMZ vs. none: HR, 0.05; 95% CI, 0.02-0.14), surgical resection (HR, 0.46; 95% CI, 0.24-0.9), multifocality (HR, 2.7; 95% CI, 1.14-6.4), and masseter diameter (HR, 0.12; 95% CI, 0.02-0.78) were associated with survival. Masseter diameter was the only factor associated with 90-day mortality after surgical resection (P = 0.044).

CONCLUSIONS

GBM patients over the age of 79 have acceptable outcomes after resection, followed by adjuvant chemotherapy and RT. In addition to the treatment factors that predicted for survival, a decreased masseter diameter on preoperative imaging, a marker of sarcopenia, was associated with shorter overall survival and 90-day mortality after surgical resection.

Temporal muscle thickness as an independent prognostic imaging marker in newly diagnosed glioblastoma patients: a validation study

Background

Previous studies have recognized temporal muscle thickness (TMT) as a prognostic marker in glioblastoma, but clinical implementation is hampered due to studies’ heterogeneity and lack of established cutoff values. The aim of this study was to assess the validity of recent proposed sex-specific TMT cutoff values in a real-world population of genotyped primary glioblastoma patients.

Methods

We measured TMT in preoperative MR images of 328 patients. Sex-specific TMT cutoff values were used to divide patients into “at risk of sarcopenia” or “normal muscle status”. Kaplan-Meier analyses and stepwise multivariate Cox-Regression analyses were used to assess the association with overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). The association with occurrence of complications and discontinuation of glioblastoma treatment was investigated using odds ratios (OR).

Results

Patients at risk of sarcopenia had a significantly higher risk of progression and death than patients with normal muscle status, which remained significant in the multivariate analyses (OS HR = 1.437; 95%CI: 1.046–1.973; P = .025 and PFS HR = 1.453; 95%CI: 1.037–2.036; P = .030). Patients at risk of sarcopenia also had a significantly higher risk of early discontinuation of treatment (OR = 2.45; 95%CI: 1.011–5.952; P = .042) and a significantly lower chance of receiving second-line treatment (OR = 0.23; 95%CI: 0.09–0.60; P = .001). There was no association with the occurrence of complications.

Conclusions

Our study confirms external validity of the use of proposed sex-specific TMT cutoff values as an independent prognostic marker in newly diagnosed glioblastoma patients. This simple, noninvasive marker could improve patient counseling and aid in treatment decision processes or trial stratification.

Temporal Muscle and Stroke—A Narrative Review on Current Meaning and Clinical Applications of Temporal Muscle Thickness, Area, and Volume

Background: Evaluating muscle mass and function among stroke patients is important. However, evaluating muscle volume and function is not easy due to the disturbances of consciousness and paresis. Temporal muscle thickness (TMT) has been introduced as a novel surrogate marker for muscle mass, function, and nutritional status. We herein performed a narrative literature review on temporal muscle and stroke to understand the current meaning of TMT in clinical stroke practice. Methods: The search was performed in PubMed, last updated in October 2021. Reports on temporal muscle morphomics and stroke-related diseases or clinical entities were collected. Results: Four studies reported on TMT and subarachnoid hemorrhage, two studies on intracerebral hemorrhage, two studies on ischemic stroke, two studies on standard TMT values, and two studies on nutritional status. TMT was reported as a prognostic factor for several diseases, a surrogate marker for skeletal muscle mass, and an indicator of nutritional status. Computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and ultrasonography were used to measure TMT. Conclusions: TMT is gradually being used as a prognostic factor for stroke or a surrogate marker for skeletal muscle mass and nutritional status. The establishment of standard methods to measure TMT and large prospective studies to further investigate the relationship between TMT and diseases are needed.

Sarcopenia in patients with dementia: correlation of temporalis muscle thickness with appendicular muscle mass

Cognitive decline is one of the most relevant signs of sarcopenia; however, it is challenging to perform tests for sarcopenia in patients with dementia. In a recent study, temporalis muscle thickness (TMT), an alternative to appendicular muscle mass (ASM), was found to be a valid index for screening sarcopenia. This study aimed to determine whether TMT correlates with ASM and evaluate the relationship between TMT and cognitive function in dementia patients. We recruited patients with a complaint of memory loss who visited the Memory Clinic of Konkuk University Medical Center between November 2014 and December 2020. Patients with probable Alzheimer's disease (AD) without weakness were included. TMT was measured on axial T1-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) images, perpendicular to the long axis of the temporal muscle, at the orbital roof level. ASM was measured using body dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). It was calculated as the sum of lean soft tissue mass in the arms and legs, and the value by ASM divided by height squared was used. Inter-rater reliability and intra-rater reliability were good and excellent, respectively. We found a correlation between TMT and skeletal ASM, which was obtained from cranial MR images and DXA, respectively (r = 0.379, p = 0.001). TMT was negatively correlated with age (r =  - 0.296, p = 0.014) and positively correlated with body mass index (BMI) (r = 0.303, p = 0.012). Additionally, TMT was correlated with MMSE (r = 0.350, p = 0.003). After adjusting for educational years, there was still a correlation between TMT and MMSE (r = 0.256, p = 0.038). This study demonstrated that TMT correlates with ASM and cognitive function in patients with dementia. Measuring TMT using cranial MR images could help diagnose sarcopenia accessibly and assess cognitive function in patients with dementia.

The association of BMI and sarcopenia with survival in patients with glioblastoma multiforme

Background: The association between obesity and sarcopenia (via temporal muscle thickness) with overall survival (OS) has been evaluated in several glioblastoma multiforme studies, however, the data are inconclusive. Methods: The authors conducted meta-analyses via the generic inverse-variance method with a random-effects model. Results: In the pooled analysis of five studies, including 973 patients, patients with lower temporal muscle thickness had significantly decreased OS (HR: 1.62, 95% CI: 1.16-2.28, p = 0.005). The pooled analysis of five studies, including 2131 patients, demonstrated decreased OS in patients with lower BMI compared with patients with obesity (HR: 1.45, 95% CI: 1.12-1.88, p = 0.005). Conclusion: Readily available body composition parameters could be used for prognosis prediction and to aid in treatment decisions in patients with glioblastoma multiforme.

Standard values for temporal muscle thickness in the Japanese population who undergo brain check-up by magnetic resonance imaging

BACKGROUND

Skeletal muscle mass is an important factor for various diseases' outcomes. The psoas muscle cross-sectional area on the abdominal computed tomography (CT), gait speed, and handgrip strength is used to measure it. However, it is difficult to measure the neurological patients' muscle mass or function because (1) we do not perform abdominal CT. (2) Such patients have impaired consciousness, gait disturbance, paresis, and need of rest. Temporal muscle thickness (TMT) on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is now attractive for skeletal muscle volume indicator, but the reference values are not established. We herein investigated the standard value of the Japanese TMT using the brain check-up database by MRI.

METHODS

We retrospectively investigated 360 Japanese individuals from two institutions between 2017 and 2019. We measured TMT on the T1-weighted images in the previously reported way. The associations between TMT and other variables were analyzed.

RESULTS

TMT of 214 women and 146 men, ranging from 35 to 84 years old, was investigated. TMT ranged from 3.69 to 16.90 mm. Mean TMT values were significantly higher in men compared to women except for the over 70-year-old cohort. TMT was correlated to weight and body mass index in both sexes.

CONCLUSION

This is the first retrospective study on the standard TMT values from the Japanese brain check-up database. Our results were just reference values, but these would be useful for further investigation in other neurosurgical and neurological diseases regarding muscle volume or sarcopenia.