Human Muscle Elasticity Examined by Ultrasonic Measurement

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to establish a method to quantify muscle elasticity by using “Real-time Tissue Elastography (RTE)”，an ultrasonic technology for monitoring tissue elasticity. Repeated examinations on phantom and on human vastus lateralis muscle suggested that RTE could estimate their elasticity properly with measurement error of approximately 10%. Though a systematic error caused by subcutaneous fat was present in the muscle-elasticity measurement with a use of surface-press-typed apparatus, it was not found in the measurement with RTE. A surface-press-typed measure suggested that muscle became harder briefly immediately after it went through a resistance exercise. On the other hand, RTE suggested that muscle elasticity did not change immediately after the exercise, and got softer progressively for 2 days. These results suggest that the present method is useful for quantifying and examining the elasticity of muscle. Further studies, e.g., verifying what characteristics of muscle tissues RTE is sensitive for, would make the present method more valuable.