Abstract #1927

Diffusion Tensor Imaging of the Human Calf Distinct Changes in Fractional Anisotropy and Mean Diffusion Due to Muscle Shortening and Stretching

Nina F. Schwenzer^1,2, Gnter Steidle², Petros Martirosian², Christina Schraml¹, Fabian Springer¹, Claus D. Claussen¹, Fritz Schick²

¹Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital of Tbingen, Tbingen, BW, Germany; ²Section on Experimental Radiology, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital of Tbingen, Tbingen, BW, Germany

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is able to display diffusional anisotropy of tissue. It is known that the muscle has a highly ordered microarchitecture. It seems plausible that water diffusivity within the muscle will change with length since the cross sectional area of the muscle increases with shortening. This could have an influence on diffusivity and fractional anisotropy (FA). Our results showed that the FA significantly decreased and the mean diffusivity increased with muscle shortening. Regarding the eigenvalues of the diffusion tensor, l2 and l3 showed significant changes in relation to muscle length while no change in l1 could be found.