Achilles tendon volume in type 2 diabetic patients with or without peripheral neuropathy: MRI study

The aim of this study was to evaluate Achilles tendon (AT) in type 2 diabetic patients with vs. without peripheral neuropathy using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). The study included 19 patients (group A, mean age 63.9+/-7.4 years) with peripheral neuropathy and 19 patients (group B, mean age 63.6+/-6.1 years) without peripheral neuropathy, as well as 16 healthy controls (group C, mean age 61.6+/-8.4 years). Neuropathy was diagnosed by the Diabetic Neuropathy Index (DNI). The maximum AT thickness and AT volume were measured on sagittal T (1) weighted MRI images. AT volume was calculated by the sum of the tendon surface area of all contiguous sections multiplied by the slice thickness. Diabetic patients had significantly (p<0.001) greater AT volume than controls (9742.0+/-2034.9 mm(3) vs. 7323.8+/-1918.2 mm(3)). This difference was observed both in men (p=0.030) and in women (p<0.001). AT volume was significantly greater in group A vs. C (p=0.003) and in group B vs. C (p<0.001), but there was no difference between groups A and B (p=0.469). Finally, in group A increased AT volume was significantly (p=0.041) associated with clinical severity of neuropathy. CONCLUSIONS Type 2 diabetic patients have increased AT volume as compared to controls. There is no difference in AT volume between patients with and without neuropathy. However, in neuropathic patients increased AT volume is associated with severity of neuropathy.