INTRODUCTION: Quantitative ultrasound can measure skeletal muscle pathology. We investigated whether inexperienced evaluators could accurately obtain and analyze ultrasound images. METHODS: Two examiners underwent a 20-minute training session before obtaining ultrasound images of several limb muscles in 21 healthy boys and 19 boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Gray scale levels (GSLs) of muscle and subcutaneous fat were then measured by 2 analysts: a trained research assistant and a radiologist. We compared results between examiners and analysts. RESULTS: Interrater reliability of muscle GSLs was high between examiners (ICC ≥ 0.85) and analysts (ICC ≥ 0.84). As anticipated, GSLs were higher in dystrophic than in healthy muscles (P < 0.001). Fat GSLs were less reliable (ICC = 0.5-0.89) than muscle and increased with age and body size. CONCLUSIONS: GSLs from ultrasound images of healthy and dystrophic skeletal muscle, but not from subcutaneous fat, can be obtained reliably and can be analyzed by inexperienced evaluators with minimal training.
INTRODUCTION: Quantitative ultrasound can measure skeletal muscle pathology. We investigated whether inexperienced evaluators could accurately obtain and analyze ultrasound images. METHODS: Two examiners underwent a 20-minute training session before obtaining ultrasound images of several limb muscles in 21 healthy boys and 19 boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Gray scale levels (GSLs) of muscle and subcutaneous fat were then measured by 2 analysts: a trained research assistant and a radiologist. We compared results between examiners and analysts. RESULTS: Interrater reliability of muscle GSLs was high between examiners (ICC ≥ 0.85) and analysts (ICC ≥ 0.84). As anticipated, GSLs were higher in dystrophic than in healthy muscles (P < 0.001). Fat GSLs were less reliable (ICC = 0.5-0.89) than muscle and increased with age and body size. CONCLUSIONS:GSLs from ultrasound images of healthy and dystrophic skeletal muscle, but not from subcutaneous fat, can be obtained reliably and can be analyzed by inexperienced evaluators with minimal training.
Authors: Sigrid Pillen; Ramon O Tak; Machiel J Zwarts; Martin M Y Lammens; Kiek N Verrijp; Ilse M P Arts; Jeroen A van der Laak; Peter M Hoogerbrugge; Baziel G M van Engelen; Aad Verrips Journal: Ultrasound Med Biol Date: 2008-12-10 Impact factor: 2.998
Authors: Sigrid Pillen; Johannes P van Dijk; Gert Weijers; Wilma Raijmann; Chris L de Korte; Machiel J Zwarts Journal: Muscle Nerve Date: 2009-06 Impact factor: 3.217
Authors: Sisir Koppaka; Irina Shklyar; Seward B Rutkove; Basil T Darras; Brian W Anthony; Craig M Zaidman; Jim S Wu Journal: J Ultrasound Med Date: 2016-07-14 Impact factor: 2.153
Authors: Maria G Martucci; Courtney E McIlduff; Carmen Shin; Hilda V Gutierrez; Joo Yeon Nam; Patricia Greenstein; Kester Phillips; Erik J Uhlmann; Eric T Wong; Seward B Rutkove Journal: Clin Neurophysiol Date: 2019-05-10 Impact factor: 3.708
Authors: Irina Shklyar; Tom R Geisbush; Aleksandar S Mijialovic; Amy Pasternak; Basil T Darras; Jim S Wu; Seward B Rutkove; Craig M Zaidman Journal: Muscle Nerve Date: 2014-12-23 Impact factor: 3.217
Authors: Sean P Denny; William B Minteer; Reece T H Fenning; Sahil Aggarwal; Debora H Lee; Shella K Raja; Kaavya R Raman; Allison O Farfel; Priya A Patel; Megan E Bernstein; Shadi Lahham; John C Fox Journal: World J Emerg Med Date: 2018
Authors: Craig M Zaidman; Jim S Wu; Kush Kapur; Amy Pasternak; Lavanya Madabusi; Sung Yim; Adam Pacheck; Heather Szelag; Tim Harrington; Basil T Darras; Seward B Rutkove Journal: Ann Neurol Date: 2017-05-04 Impact factor: 10.422
Authors: Maria Barsky; Lauren Kushner; Megan Ansbro; Kate Bowman; Michael Sassounian; Kevin Gustafson; Shadi Lahham; Linda Joseph; John C Fox Journal: World J Emerg Med Date: 2015
Authors: Seward B Rutkove; Tom R Geisbush; Aleksandar Mijailovic; Irina Shklyar; Amy Pasternak; Nicole Visyak; Jim S Wu; Craig Zaidman; Basil T Darras Journal: Pediatr Neurol Date: 2014-02-28 Impact factor: 3.372