In vivo study of cross-sectional skeletal muscle fiber asymmetry with diffusion-weighted MRI.
Skeletal muscles are highly organized hierarchical structures characterized by an anisotropic arrangement of muscle fibers (myocytes) in fascicles. Due to its unique non-invasive microstructure probing capabilities, diffusion-weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging (DW-MRI) constitutes a valuable non-invasive tool in the study of such fibrous biological tissues. We have implemented a DW-MRI sequence with highly sensitive directional encoding to quantify the microarchitectural properties of human calf muscles at rest. We have specifically focused on a composite model-based analysis of diffusion tensor MRI measurements to quantify in vivo the cross-sectional asymmetry of muscle fiber geometry, which is a microstructural feature well documented in prior histological studies.
Karampinos
Dimitrios C
DC
Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering and the Beckman Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL, USA.
King
Kevin F
KF
Sutton
Brad P
BP
Georgiadis
John G
JG
D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D007866:Leg; D008954:Models, Biological; D018485:Muscle Fibers, Skeletal; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000033:anatomy & histology*