title: Quantitative assessment of muscle injury by (23)Na magnetic resonance imaging.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  (23)Na magnetic resonance imaging ((23)Na-MRI) is able to measure Na(+) in vivo in humans and allows quantification of tissue sodium distribution. We now tested the utility of (23)Na-MRI technique in detecting and assessing sports-related acute muscular injury.
  
  
  METHODS
  We assessed tissue Na(+) of both lower legs with a 3T MRI scanner using a customized (23)Na knee coil. The affected left calf muscle in an injured volleyball player showed a hyperintense Na(+) signal. Follow-up measurements revealed persistently increased muscle Na(+) content despite complete clinical recovery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that (23)Na-MRI could have utility in detecting subtle muscular injury and might indicate when complete healing has occurred. Furthermore, (23)Na-MRI suggests the presence of substantial injury-related muscle electrolyte shifts that warrant more detailed investigation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology and Hypertension, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany.
authors.forename: Anke
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dahlmann
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology and Hypertension, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany.
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kopp
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Maximiliansplatz 1, 91054 Erlangen, Germany.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Linz
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Maximiliansplatz 1, 91054 Erlangen, Germany.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cavallaro
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Maximiliansplatz 1, 91054 Erlangen, Germany.
authors.forename: Hannes
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Seuss
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology and Hypertension, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany.
authors.forename: Kai-Uwe
authors.initials: KU
authors.lastname: Eckardt
authors.affiliation: Experimental and Clinical Research Centre, A joint cooperation between the Charité Medical Faculty, The Max-Delbrück Centre for Molecular Medicine (MDC), Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Friedrich C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Luft
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN USA.
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Titze
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Maximiliansplatz 1, 91054 Erlangen, Germany.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Uder
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Maximiliansplatz 1, 91054 Erlangen, Germany.
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hammon
keywords: Assessment; Healing; Magnetic resonance imaging; Quantification; Sodium; Sports injury