Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine, Vol 12, Issue 2 73-77, Copyright © 1993 by American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine
Skeletal muscle sonography: a correlative study of echogenicity and morphology
K. Reimers, C. D. Reimers, S. Wagner, I. Paetzke and D. E. Pongratz
Friedrich-Baur-Institut bei der Medizinischen Klinik Innenstadt, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitat, Munich, Germany.
In skeletal muscle sonography high echogenicities have proved to be of
diagnostic value. The following study examines whether these
echointensities are caused mainly by interstitial fat or fibrosis.
Consequently, the echogenicities of 86 muscles, their diameters, and the
thickness of subcutaneous fat layers superficial to these muscles were
measured and compared for content of fat and connective tissue, which were
assessed by morphometry and biochemical testing in the corresponding muscle
biopsy samples. The results indicate that fat replacement constitutes the
main cause of increased muscle echogenicity, whereas intramuscular fibrosis
did not significantly affect the muscles' echogenicity.
