Wai-Lam Siu1, Chi-Ho Chan1, Cheuk-Hei Lam1, Chu-Man Lee1, Michael Ying2. 1. Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. 2. Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Electronic address: htmying@polyu.edu.hk.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to assess the feasibility of using quantitative shear wave elastography (SWE) to assess the stiffness (Young's modulus) of Achilles tendon and to investigate the effect of long-term weight-bearing exercise on the stiffness of human Achilles tendon by comparing the frequent and infrequent exercise groups. DESIGN: Case-control study. METHODS: A total of 36 healthy subjects aged 19-25 were recruited. Subjects were categorized into frequent and infrequent exercise groups dependent on their level of lower limb weight bearing exercise. B-mode and shear-wave ultrasound examination of Achilles tendon were performed. Measurements of the Achilles tendon stiffness were conducted with the foot position standardized by an ankle fixer. To evaluate inter and intra-operator reliability of Young's modulus measurements, each subject was scanned by three operators and each operator scanned the subject three times. RESULTS: The intra-operator reliability of Young's modulus measurements ranged between 0.803 and 0.845. The inter-operator measurement reliability was 0.585. Result showed that Achilles tendon on non-dominant ankle in frequent-exercisers (median: 320.1kPa) was significantly stiffer than that in infrequent-exercisers (median: 296kPa) (p<0.05), whereas there was no significant difference in Achilles tendon stiffness on dominant ankle between the two groups (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Shear wave elastography is feasible for assessing the Achilles tendon's stiffness in vivo. The stiffness of Achilles tendon of frequent-exercisers was significantly higher than that of infrequent-exercisers on non-dominant ankle but not on dominant ankle. With the use of an ankle fixer, there was high repeatability and moderate reproducibility in SWE measurement of Achilles tendon stiffness.
OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to assess the feasibility of using quantitative shear wave elastography (SWE) to assess the stiffness (Young's modulus) of Achilles tendon and to investigate the effect of long-term weight-bearing exercise on the stiffness of human Achilles tendon by comparing the frequent and infrequent exercise groups. DESIGN: Case-control study. METHODS: A total of 36 healthy subjects aged 19-25 were recruited. Subjects were categorized into frequent and infrequent exercise groups dependent on their level of lower limb weight bearing exercise. B-mode and shear-wave ultrasound examination of Achilles tendon were performed. Measurements of the Achilles tendon stiffness were conducted with the foot position standardized by an ankle fixer. To evaluate inter and intra-operator reliability of Young's modulus measurements, each subject was scanned by three operators and each operator scanned the subject three times. RESULTS: The intra-operator reliability of Young's modulus measurements ranged between 0.803 and 0.845. The inter-operator measurement reliability was 0.585. Result showed that Achilles tendon on non-dominant ankle in frequent-exercisers (median: 320.1kPa) was significantly stiffer than that in infrequent-exercisers (median: 296kPa) (p<0.05), whereas there was no significant difference in Achilles tendon stiffness on dominant ankle between the two groups (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Shear wave elastography is feasible for assessing the Achilles tendon's stiffness in vivo. The stiffness of Achilles tendon of frequent-exercisers was significantly higher than that of infrequent-exercisers on non-dominant ankle but not on dominant ankle. With the use of an ankle fixer, there was high repeatability and moderate reproducibility in SWE measurement of Achilles tendon stiffness.
Authors: Mihra S Taljanovic; Lana H Gimber; Giles W Becker; L Daniel Latt; Andrea S Klauser; David M Melville; Liang Gao; Russell S Witte Journal: Radiographics Date: 2017 May-Jun Impact factor: 5.333
Authors: Luca Maria Sconfienza; Domenico Albano; Georgina Allen; Alberto Bazzocchi; Bianca Bignotti; Vito Chianca; Fernando Facal de Castro; Elena E Drakonaki; Elena Gallardo; Jan Gielen; Andrea Sabine Klauser; Carlo Martinoli; Giovanni Mauri; Eugene McNally; Carmelo Messina; Rebeca Mirón Mombiela; Davide Orlandi; Athena Plagou; Magdalena Posadzy; Rosa de la Puente; Monique Reijnierse; Federica Rossi; Saulius Rutkauskas; Ziga Snoj; Jelena Vucetic; David Wilson; Alberto Stefano Tagliafico Journal: Eur Radiol Date: 2018-06-06 Impact factor: 5.315
Authors: Patrick Corrigan; Jennifer A Zellers; Phoebe Balascio; Karin Grävare Silbernagel; Daniel H Cortes Journal: Ultrasound Med Biol Date: 2019-05-08 Impact factor: 2.998
Authors: Lana H Gimber; L Daniel Latt; Chelsea Caruso; Andres A Nuncio Zuniga; Elizabeth A Krupinski; Andrea S Klauser; Mihra S Taljanovic Journal: J Ultrason Date: 2021-06-18