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3D Ultrasound Imaging: Fast and Cost-effective Morphometry of Musculoskeletal Tissue

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Tissue-specific body composition changes and muscle performance decline: a 5-year prospective study.

Ling Wang^1,2, Yandong Liu¹, Wenshuang Zhang¹

¹Department of Radiology, Beijing Jishuitan Hospital, National Center for Orthopedics, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.

Aging Clinical and Experimental Research

|June 13, 2026

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Muscle loss and changes in body composition in older adults are linked to decreased physical strength and performance over time. Thigh muscle atrophy specifically impacts handgrip strength and mobility.

Keywords:

Ageing Body composition Follow-Up Studies Muscle strength Physical performance

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Human Vastus Lateralis Skeletal Muscle Biopsy Using the Weil-Blakesley Conchotome

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Published on: March 4, 2016

Area of Science:

Gerontology
Human Physiology
Medical Imaging

Background:

Sarcopenia, the age-related loss of muscle mass and function, significantly impacts mobility and quality of life in older adults.
Understanding the longitudinal relationship between body composition changes and physical performance is crucial for developing targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the longitudinal associations between changes in body composition (muscle size, density, adipose tissue) and physical performance (handgrip strength, Timed Up and Go test) in older individuals.
To identify sex-specific patterns in these age-related changes.

Main Methods:

120 older individuals underwent computed tomography (CT) scans, handgrip strength (HGS) measurements, and Timed Up and Go (TUG) tests at baseline and after 5 years.
Changes in muscle cross-sectional area, muscle density, and adipose tissue were quantified.
Logistic regression models adjusted for baseline covariates were used to analyze associations.

Main Results:

Decreased thigh muscle size was significantly associated with reduced handgrip strength and slower TUG performance in females.
Reduced psoas major muscle density in males was linked to a lower risk of decreased handgrip strength.
Longitudinal data revealed reductions in muscle size and density across multiple muscle groups, with greater adipose tissue increase observed in females.

Conclusions:

CT-assessed body composition changes, particularly thigh muscle atrophy, are longitudinally associated with declines in muscle strength and physical performance in older adults.
These findings underscore the functional consequences of sarcopenia and highlight the importance of monitoring body composition for maintaining physical function in aging populations.
The study provides quantitative evidence extending cross-sectional observations of sarcopenia.