title: Neck muscle stiffness quantified by sonoelastography is correlated with body mass index and chronic neck pain symptoms.
abstract: This study aimed to quantify neck muscle stiffness in the normal population with ultrasound elastography. We applied the acoustic radiation force impulse technique and measured shear wave velocities (SWVs) as representative values. The mean ± standard deviation values of SWV in 20 healthy volunteers were 2.09 ± 0.45, 1.21 ± 0.30, 1.12 ± 0.17 and 0.97 ± 0.10 m/s for the trapezius, levator scapulae, scalene anterior and sternocleidomastoid muscles, respectively. The SWV values of the four muscles significantly differed (Kruskal-Wallis test, p < 0.001). The SWV values for the trapezius muscle correlated with body mass indexes (Pearson's correlation, p = 0.034). Subjects with chronic neck pain symptoms had significantly stiffer trapezius muscle (Mann-Whitney U test, p = 0.008). This study demonstrated the technique and feasibility of quantifying neck muscle stiffness using acoustic radiation force impulse elastography and shear wave velocity detection. Further study is necessary to evaluate its diagnostic power in assessing various neck muscle diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, National Taiwan University Hospital, School of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors.forename: Wen-Hsiu
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Kuo
authors.forename: Deng-Wei
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Jian
authors.forename: Tyng-Guey
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yi-Chian
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D059350:Chronic Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D055119:Elastic Modulus; D054459:Elasticity Imaging Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009334:Neck Muscles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D019547:Neck Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Body mass index; Chronic pain; Elasticity imaging techniques; Musculoskeletal physiological phenomena; Neck pain; Ultrasonography