Skeletal muscle sonography: a correlative study of echogenicity and morphology.

In skeletal muscle sonography high echogenicities have proved to be of diagnostic value. The following study examines whether these echointensities are caused mainly by interstitial fat or fibrosis. Consequently, the echogenicities of 86 muscles, their diameters, and the thickness of subcutaneous fat layers superficial to these muscles were measured and compared for content of fat and connective tissue, which were assessed by morphometry and biochemical testing in the corresponding muscle biopsy samples. The results indicate that fat replacement constitutes the main cause of increased muscle echogenicity, whereas intramuscular fibrosis did not significantly affect the muscles' echogenicity.