Muscle Ultrasound Texture Parameters Correlate With EMG Findings: How an Image Translates Into Electrophysiology

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Medical Imaging
• Biophysics

Background:

• Muscle echo intensity quantification and needle electromyography (EMG) yield different results.
• A need exists to correlate detailed muscle ultrasound texture analysis with electrophysiological parameters.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between detailed muscle ultrasound texture analysis and electrophysiological parameters in EMG.
• To explore advanced ultrasound texture parameters beyond simple grayscale measurements.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of muscle ultrasound and EMG data from 64 individuals (156 muscles).
• Texture parameters included histograms, second-order (contrast, entropy, correlation), and higher-order features.
• EMG data comprised motor unit size index (SI), polyphasia, recruitment, and active denervation.

Main Results:

• In neurogenic processes, SI positively correlated with contrast (r=0.62).
• In non-inflammatory myopathies, polyphasia negatively correlated with entropy (r=-0.46).
• In inflammatory myopathies, brightness correlated negatively with SI (r=-0.39) and increased with active denervation.

Conclusions:

• Muscle ultrasound texture parameters show correlations with specific EMG findings.
• These correlations may reflect underlying neuromuscular pathology.
• Advanced ultrasound texture analysis offers potential to integrate imaging and electrophysiological data.