Fasciculation distribution in a healthy population assessed with diffusion tensor imaging
Abstract Fasciculations, a hallmark of motor neuron diseases, also occur in healthy individuals, highlighting the need to understand fasciculation intensity and distribution. Motor unit MRI (MUMRI) can assess fasciculations in large volumes but is not widely applied. We hypothesize that a more commo...
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Wiley
2025-03-01
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.14814/phy2.70247 |
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| author | Linda Heskamp Lara Schlaffke Johannes Forsting Boudewijn T. H. M. Sleutjes H. Stephan Goedee Martijn Froeling |
| author_facet | Linda Heskamp Lara Schlaffke Johannes Forsting Boudewijn T. H. M. Sleutjes H. Stephan Goedee Martijn Froeling |
| author_sort | Linda Heskamp |
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| description | Abstract Fasciculations, a hallmark of motor neuron diseases, also occur in healthy individuals, highlighting the need to understand fasciculation intensity and distribution. Motor unit MRI (MUMRI) can assess fasciculations in large volumes but is not widely applied. We hypothesize that a more common MRI technique, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), can also detect fasciculation when correcting for low signal‐to‐noise ratios and signal variability. We first systematically compared MUMRI and DTI in upper leg muscles of healthy subjects (n = 5). Secondly, we retrospectively determined fasciculation intensity and distribution in lower extremity muscles of 30 healthy subjects using DTI (n = 30). DTI and MUMRI had comparable sensitivity (75%) and precision (80%) to expert reviews. In our healthy cohort, fasciculations were more prevalent in the lower legs than upper legs (13.9 ± 11.5% vs. 9.8 ± 6.3%, p = 0.011), particularly in the soleus (9.3 ± 8.1%). This effect persisted after normalizing for muscle volume (7.2 ± 5.1%/dm3 vs. 2.9 ± 1.8%/dm3, p < 0.001). Lower leg fasciculations were larger compared to upper leg fasciculations (0.81 ± 0.31 cm3 vs. 0.54 ± 0.15 cm3, p < 0.001). Longitudinal analysis showed consistent fasciculation distribution over 8 months (n = 13, ICC = 0.803). In conclusion, muscle DTI detects fasciculations in all lower extremity muscles, enabling retrospective analysis of existing datasets and reducing the need for prospective MUMRI studies if muscle DTI is already acquired. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-13e94a1baecd43b9a7c79291c8e0bbe2 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2051-817X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
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| series | Physiological Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-13e94a1baecd43b9a7c79291c8e0bbe22025-08-20T02:42:08ZengWileyPhysiological Reports2051-817X2025-03-01136n/an/a10.14814/phy2.70247Fasciculation distribution in a healthy population assessed with diffusion tensor imagingLinda Heskamp0Lara Schlaffke1Johannes Forsting2Boudewijn T. H. M. Sleutjes3H. Stephan Goedee4Martijn Froeling5Center for Image Sciences, Precision Imaging Group, Division Imaging & Oncology University Medical Centre Utrecht Utrecht The NetherlandsDepartment of Neurology BG‐University Hospital Bergmannsheil gGmbH Bochum GermanyDepartment of Neurology BG‐University Hospital Bergmannsheil gGmbH Bochum GermanyDepartment of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Brain center University Medical Centre Utrecht Utrecht The NetherlandsDepartment of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Brain center University Medical Centre Utrecht Utrecht The NetherlandsCenter for Image Sciences, Precision Imaging Group, Division Imaging & Oncology University Medical Centre Utrecht Utrecht The NetherlandsAbstract Fasciculations, a hallmark of motor neuron diseases, also occur in healthy individuals, highlighting the need to understand fasciculation intensity and distribution. Motor unit MRI (MUMRI) can assess fasciculations in large volumes but is not widely applied. We hypothesize that a more common MRI technique, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), can also detect fasciculation when correcting for low signal‐to‐noise ratios and signal variability. We first systematically compared MUMRI and DTI in upper leg muscles of healthy subjects (n = 5). Secondly, we retrospectively determined fasciculation intensity and distribution in lower extremity muscles of 30 healthy subjects using DTI (n = 30). DTI and MUMRI had comparable sensitivity (75%) and precision (80%) to expert reviews. In our healthy cohort, fasciculations were more prevalent in the lower legs than upper legs (13.9 ± 11.5% vs. 9.8 ± 6.3%, p = 0.011), particularly in the soleus (9.3 ± 8.1%). This effect persisted after normalizing for muscle volume (7.2 ± 5.1%/dm3 vs. 2.9 ± 1.8%/dm3, p < 0.001). Lower leg fasciculations were larger compared to upper leg fasciculations (0.81 ± 0.31 cm3 vs. 0.54 ± 0.15 cm3, p < 0.001). Longitudinal analysis showed consistent fasciculation distribution over 8 months (n = 13, ICC = 0.803). In conclusion, muscle DTI detects fasciculations in all lower extremity muscles, enabling retrospective analysis of existing datasets and reducing the need for prospective MUMRI studies if muscle DTI is already acquired.https://doi.org/10.14814/phy2.70247diffusion tensor imagingfasciculationmagnetic resonance imagingmotor unitskeletal muscle |
| spellingShingle | Linda Heskamp Lara Schlaffke Johannes Forsting Boudewijn T. H. M. Sleutjes H. Stephan Goedee Martijn Froeling Fasciculation distribution in a healthy population assessed with diffusion tensor imaging Physiological Reports diffusion tensor imaging fasciculation magnetic resonance imaging motor unit skeletal muscle |
| title | Fasciculation distribution in a healthy population assessed with diffusion tensor imaging |
| title_full | Fasciculation distribution in a healthy population assessed with diffusion tensor imaging |
| title_fullStr | Fasciculation distribution in a healthy population assessed with diffusion tensor imaging |
| title_full_unstemmed | Fasciculation distribution in a healthy population assessed with diffusion tensor imaging |
| title_short | Fasciculation distribution in a healthy population assessed with diffusion tensor imaging |
| title_sort | fasciculation distribution in a healthy population assessed with diffusion tensor imaging |
| topic | diffusion tensor imaging fasciculation magnetic resonance imaging motor unit skeletal muscle |
| url | https://doi.org/10.14814/phy2.70247 |
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