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MRI-based 3D Estimation of Skeletal Muscle Architecture and Strain during Contraction
Roberto A Pineda Guzman1, Carly A Lockard1, Xingyu Zhou1,2,3
1Carle Clinical Imaging Research Program, Stephens Family Clinical Research Institute, Carle Health, Urbana, IL, USA.
Biorxiv : the Preprint Server for Biology
|August 6, 2025
Summary
This study quantifies 3D skeletal muscle architecture and strain during contraction using MRI. It reveals changes in fiber length, pennation, and curvature, highlighting potential for new biomechanical research.
Area of Science:
- Biomechanics
- Musculoskeletal Imaging
- Human Physiology
Background:
- Understanding skeletal muscle's 3D architecture and strain during contraction is vital for assessing mechanical function in health and disease.
- Current methods like ultrasound lack 3D whole-muscle quantification, while Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) tractography is limited by long scan times during contraction.
Purpose of the Study:
- To implement and validate a DTI-tractography with image registration approach for estimating 3D whole-muscle architecture and strain of the tibialis anterior (TA) during moderate contractions.
- To investigate the relationship between muscle architecture and strain during dynamic muscle function.
Main Methods:
- Utilized DTI-tractography combined with an image registration technique to assess 3D architecture of the tibialis anterior (TA) muscle.
- Measured whole-muscle strain during 20-40% MVC contractions, enabling evaluation of intramuscular architecture-strain relationships.
Main Results:
- Observed a decrease in fiber-tract length, increased pennation angle, and heightened fiber curvature in the TA during contraction.
- Identified intramuscular strain heterogeneity across and within muscle regions, potentially influenced by regional muscle architecture.
Conclusions:
- MRI-based DTI-tractography with image registration offers a viable method for 3D whole-muscle architecture and strain estimation during contraction.
- This approach provides novel data crucial for advancing skeletal muscle biomechanical research and understanding muscle function.
