J Korean Orthop Assoc.  2016 Oct;51(5):371-377. 10.4055/jkoa.2016.51.5.371.

Comparison of Ultrasonography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Measurement of Lumbar Muscles

• Kim CS
• Woo YH
• Shim DM
• Kim TK
• Lee JM
• Jang BJ
• Yoo BM

• KMID: 2355501
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4055/jkoa.2016.51.5.371

Abstract

PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to compare magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasonography measurement of peri-lumbar muscle atrophy which is thought to be a cause of low back pain.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Eighty-two patients (44 males, 38 females) who visited Wonkang University Hospital from March, 2015 to August, 2015 complaining of lumbar back pain and underwent lumbar MRI were enrolled in this study. Cross section area (CSAMRI) and muscle thickness (MTMRI) of psoas major (PS) and lumbar extensor (LM) located on both sides of L4/5 and L3/4 was measured by MRI, and sono measurement of thickness of the same muscle (MTUS) at the same level of that MRI measurement were analyzed.
RESULTS
In correlation analysis of PS CSAMRI and PS MTUS is the correlation coefficient of L4/5 was 0.136 (p=0.64), L3/4 right (Rt) was 0.070 (p=0.81), and L3/4 left (Lt) was 0.288 (p=0.32). PS CSAMRI at L4/5 Rt showed that correlation coefficient of PS MTUS showed a positive correlation to 0.559 (p=0.04). In analysis of the PS MTMRI and PS MTUS, the correlation coefficient of L4/5 Rt was measured by a 0.316 (p=0.27), L4/5 Lt was 0.022 (p=0.94), L3/4 Rt was 0.236 (p=0.41), and L3/4 Lt did not show a significant result with 0.287 (p=0.31). In the results of correlation analysis of the LM MTMRI and LM MTUS, the correlation coefficient of L4/5 Rt was 0.207 (p=0.49), L4/5 Lt was 0.051 (p=0.86), and L3/4 was Rt 0.048 (p=0.87), L3/4 Lt did not show a significant value with 0.154 (p=0.61).
CONCLUSION
This study proved that muscle volume obtained from ultrasono is effective for evaluation of cross-sectional area of lumbar muscle.

Keyword

ultrasonography; magnetic resonance imaging; lumbar muscle cross-sectional area; peri-lumbar muscle atrophy

MeSH Terms

Back Pain
Humans
Low Back Pain
Magnetic Resonance Imaging*
Male
Muscles*
Muscular Atrophy
Ultrasonography*

Figure

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  Figure 1 Measurement of the multifidus muscle thickness between subcutaneous layer and muscle layer on the longitudinal scan.

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  Figure 2 Measurement of the psoas muscle thickness between the surface and deep connections on the transverse scan.

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  Figure 3 This shows the thickness of psoas major muscle and multifidus muscle and the cross sectional areas of psoas major muscle.

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