A possible clinical tool to depict muscle elasticity mapping using magnetic resonance elastography

Characterization of muscle elasticity will improve the diagnosis and treatment of muscle disorders. The purpose is to compare the use of magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) and ultrasound elastography (USE) techniques to elucidate the MRE cartography of thigh muscles.

Both elastography techniques were performed on 5 children and 7 adults. Quantitative (MRE) and qualitative (USE) cartographies of muscle elasticity, as a function of muscle state and age, were obtained with shear waves and manual compression of the ultrasound probe, respectively.

Similar cartographies of muscle elasticity were obtained with the 2 methods. The combination of both imaging techniques results in an improved depiction of the physiological changes associated with muscle state and age.

This study demonstrates the feasibility of MRE for use as a clinical tool in the characterization of neuromuscular pathologies and for assessing the efficacy of specific treatments for muscle related diseases.