Abstract #1540

Stimulated phase contrast motor unit MRI to assess recovery of fatigued muscle as a novel therapeutic response biomarker

Mathew Elameer^1,2, Matthew Birkbeck^1,3, Linda Heskamp¹, Jane Newman⁴, Renae Stefanetti⁴, Isabel Barrow⁴, Gráinne Gorman⁴, Ian Schofield¹, Julie Hall², Andrew Blamire¹, and Roger Whittaker¹

¹Translational and clinical research institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, United Kingdom, ²Department of Neuroradiology, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, United Kingdom, ³Northern Medical Physics and Clinical Engineering, Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, United Kingdom, ⁴Wellcome Centre for Mitochondrial Research, Newcastle University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, United Kingdom

Synopsis

Keywords: Muscle, Neuroscience

Motivation: Current biomarkers for serial functional muscle assessments (eg., for therapeutic response assessment) are limited by sensitivity, spatial resolution, and coverage.

Goal(s): We aimed to utilise the high spatial resolution offered by recently developed phase contrast motor unit MRI (PC-MUMRI) techniques to identify potential biomarkers.

Approach: We prospectively trialled a novel PC-MUMRI fatigue and recovery paradigm before and after a 12-week exercise intervention in seven participants with genetic mitochondrial disorders.

Results: Time-to-half-maximum of PC-MUMRI recovery reduced from a mean of 254 (+/- 109) seconds to 137 (+/- 41) seconds following the intervention. This was not statistically significant (p = 0.074).

Impact: We have developed and tested a novel therapeutic response biomarker for muscle-based intervention based on measuring recovery of stimulated muscle twitch velocities following fatigue. This may address problems with spatial resolution, sensitivity, or coverage associated with previously reported biomarkers.

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