Ke Li1, 2, Joseph W. Huston3, Nathan Bryant1, 2, Jane H. Park1, 4
1Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States; 2Department of Radiology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States; 3School of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States; 4Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
In this work, MRI studies of thigh muscles in an undiagnosed myopathic patient and two healthy controls are presented. No significant differences were observed in T1- and T2-weighted and STIR images or in T1 and T2 values. However, obvious abnormalities in fiber density and fiber directions were revealed with DTI-based fiber tracking in the patient�s muscles. This indicates that fiber tracking is a powerful method for identifying muscle fiber abnormalities that correlate with weakness and fatigue. This technique will promote accurate clinical evaluation of myopathy and proper assignment of therapuetic procedures for muscle rehabilitation.
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