Juan Antonio Valera-Calero1, José Luis Arias-Buría2, César Fernández-de-Las-Peñas2, Joshua A Cleland3, Gracia María Gallego-Sendarrubias4, Eduardo Cimadevilla-Fernández-Pola4. 1. Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health, Universidad Camilo José Cela, Villanueva de La Cañada, Madrid, Spain; International Doctoral School, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Alcorcón, Spain. Electronic address: javaleracalero@gmail.com. 2. Department of Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Rehabilitation and Physical Medicine, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Alcorcón, Spain; Cátedra Institucional en Docencia, Clínica e Investigación en Fisioterapia: Terapia Manual, Punción Seca y Ejercicio Terapéutico, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Alcorcón, Madrid, Spain. 3. Doctor of Physical Therapy Program, Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Mass, USA. 4. Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health, Universidad Camilo José Cela, Villanueva de La Cañada, Madrid, Spain.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: In addition to muscle morphology, ultrasound imaging (US) could be a potential tool to determine muscle quality assessing the echo-intensity and using offline software to quantify the percentage of intramuscular fatty infiltration. OBJECTIVE: To investigate intra- and inter-rater image measurement reliability of morphological (i.e., cross-sectional area, perimeter) and echo intensity features (i.e., mean muscular echo intensity, fat echo intensity cut-offs, fatty infiltrates percentage estimation) of deep neck extensors in asymptomatic subjects. METHODS: Brightness-mode images of the cervical spine at C4/C5 were acquired in 25 asymptomatic subjects (40%women, age: 24 years) by an experienced examiner. Cross-sectional area, perimeter and echo-intensity measures of cervical multifidus and short rotators were measured on two separate days (one-week apart) in a randomized order by two assessors. Intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC), standard error of measurement, minimal detectable change, and mean, absolute and percent errors were calculated. RESULTS: Intra- (ICC3,1 0.800-0.989) and inter- (ICC3,2 0.841-0.948) examiner reliability of echo-intensity measures ranged from good to excellent. Women exhibited higher echo-intensity features than men. Intra-examiner reliability of morphological measures was excellent (ICC3,1 0.917-0.974) for multifidus and good-excellent (ICC3,1 0.868-0.987) for short rotators. Inter-examiner reliability of morphological measures also ranged from good to excellent (ICC3,2 0.765-0.965). Men exhibited higher CSA and perimeter than women. No side-to-side differences were observed in any ultrasound measure. CONCLUSION: This study found that intra- and inter-rater image analysis reliability of muscle morphology, mean echo intensity, and fatty infiltration quantification of cervical multifidus and short rotators at C4/C5 level was good-to-excellent in healthy subjects.
BACKGROUND: In addition to muscle morphology, ultrasound imaging (US) could be a potential tool to determine muscle quality assessing the echo-intensity and using offline software to quantify the percentage of intramuscular fatty infiltration. OBJECTIVE: To investigate intra- and inter-rater image measurement reliability of morphological (i.e., cross-sectional area, perimeter) and echo intensity features (i.e., mean muscular echo intensity, fat echo intensity cut-offs, fatty infiltrates percentage estimation) of deep neck extensors in asymptomatic subjects. METHODS: Brightness-mode images of the cervical spine at C4/C5 were acquired in 25 asymptomatic subjects (40%women, age: 24 years) by an experienced examiner. Cross-sectional area, perimeter and echo-intensity measures of cervical multifidus and short rotators were measured on two separate days (one-week apart) in a randomized order by two assessors. Intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC), standard error of measurement, minimal detectable change, and mean, absolute and percent errors were calculated. RESULTS: Intra- (ICC3,1 0.800-0.989) and inter- (ICC3,2 0.841-0.948) examiner reliability of echo-intensity measures ranged from good to excellent. Women exhibited higher echo-intensity features than men. Intra-examiner reliability of morphological measures was excellent (ICC3,1 0.917-0.974) for multifidus and good-excellent (ICC3,1 0.868-0.987) for short rotators. Inter-examiner reliability of morphological measures also ranged from good to excellent (ICC3,2 0.765-0.965). Men exhibited higher CSA and perimeter than women. No side-to-side differences were observed in any ultrasound measure. CONCLUSION: This study found that intra- and inter-rater image analysis reliability of muscle morphology, mean echo intensity, and fatty infiltration quantification of cervical multifidus and short rotators at C4/C5 level was good-to-excellent in healthy subjects.
Authors: Juan Antonio Valera-Calero; César Fernández-de-Las-Peñas; Umut Varol; Ricardo Ortega-Santiago; Gracia María Gallego-Sendarrubias; José Luis Arias-Buría Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2021-07-15 Impact factor: 3.390