Modelling human musculoskeletal functional movements using ultrasound imaging.
BACKGROUND
A widespread and fundamental assumption in the health sciences is that muscle functions are related to a wide variety of conditions, for example pain, ischemic and neurological disorder, exercise and injury. It is therefore highly desirable to study musculoskeletal contributions in clinical applications such as the treatment of muscle injuries, post-surgery evaluations, monitoring of progressive degeneration in neuromuscular disorders, and so on.The spatial image resolution in ultrasound systems has improved tremendously in the last few years and nowadays provides detailed information about tissue characteristics. It is now possible to study skeletal muscles in real-time during activity.


METHODS
The ultrasound images are transformed to be congruent and are effectively compressed and stacked in order to be analysed with multivariate techniques. The method is applied to a relevant clinical orthopaedic research field, namely to describe the dynamics in the Achilles tendon and the calf during real-time movements.


RESULTS
This study introduces a novel method to medical applications that can be used to examine ultrasound image sequences and to detect, visualise and quantify skeletal muscle dynamics and functions.


CONCLUSIONS
This new objective method is a powerful tool to use when visualising tissue activity and dynamics of musculoskeletal ultrasound registrations.
Peolsson
Michael
M
School of Technology and Health, Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden.
Löfstedt
Tommy
T
Vogt
Susanna
S
Stenlund
Hans
H
Arndt
Anton
A
Trygg
Johan
J
D000843:Ankle Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D054459:Elasticity Imaging Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D007537:Isometric Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D008954:Models, Biological; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000502:physiology*; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology