3-D MRI DTI May Help Detect Muscle Injuries that Occur as Result of Long-Distance Running

The results of a study published in the February, 2015, issue of Radiology indicate that Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Diffusion-Tensor Imaging (DTI) could be used for the prognosis and treatment of sports injuries in athletes.

The researchers obtained DTI Three-dimensional (3-D) measurements of the upper leg from the hip to the knee, including the hamstring and other susceptible muscles, in a single imaging session. The technique revealed changes that qualitative T2-weighted MR imaging with fat suppression was not able to show, and could be used to help clinicians detect long-term changes in in the upper leg from sports-related muscle injuries.


The researchers evaluated five male amateur long-distance runners using a 3-T MR examination of both upper legs at three points in time. The exams took place one week before, two days after, and three weeks after the runners took part in a marathon. A musculoskeletal radiologist used three grades to evaluate the level of muscle injury using T2-weighted images with fat suppression. The radiologist noted the specific muscle and its location, the craniocaudal, and axial length of the hemorrhage and/or edema, and manually segmented six muscles in both upper legs based on T1- and T2-weighted images.

Lead author of the study, Martijn Froeling, PhD, at the University Medical Center Utrecht (Utrecht, Netherlands), said, "Our method revealed subtle changes in DTI-derived parameters of muscle that occurred during marathon running, which were still measurable after three weeks. The elevated mean diffusivity, which was still present after three weeks, might be related to the natural disease course of fatigue-induced muscle disorders. These findings might be related to a high risk for injury in biceps femoris and semitendinosus muscles during long-distance running. DTI may eventually allow for design of personalized rehabilitation programs. The method could be especially useful in longitudinally evaluating athletes after muscle injury and could give a better prognosis when affected muscle function is restored."

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University Medical Center Utrecht