Abstract #0180

In vivo skeletal muscle fiber length measurements using a novel MRI diffusion tensor imaging approach: reproducibility and sensitivity to passive stretch.

Jos Oudeman¹, Valentina Mazzoli^1,2,3, Marco A Marra², Klaas Nicolay³, Mario Maas¹, Nico Verdonschot², Andre M Sprengers², Aart J Nederveen¹, Gustav J Strijkers⁴, and Martijn Froeling⁵

¹Radiology, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, Netherlands, ²Orthopedic Research Lab, Radboud UMC, Nijmegen, Netherlands, ³Biomedical NMR, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, Netherlands, ⁴Biomedical Engineering and Physics, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, Netherlands, ⁵Radiology, University Medical Center, Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands

Diffusion Tensor Imaging in combination with tractography facilitates 3D visualizations of the muscle architecture, which is described by fiber length and pennation angle. In order to get accurate fiber length estimation, tendinous structures need to be separated from muscles. In this work we propose a new method for semiautomatic tendon segmentation. The fiber length obtained after tendon segmentation is seen to be reproducible. Furthermore the sensitivity of the method allows for detection of change in fiber length whit muscle stretch. The observed behavior is in agreement with the known antagonistic function of muscles.

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