Measurement of Structure and Stiffness of Gastrocnemius Muscle for Stroke Patients with Multimodal Ultrasound Imaging / 中国康复理论与实践

ABSTRACT

Objective:To apply multimodal ultrasound imaging in spasticity assessment for stroke patients with hemiplegia. Methods:From March to September, 2019, 44 inpatients with lower limb spastic hemiplegia after stroke (patients) and 46 healthy volunteers (controls) were scanned with two-dimensional ultrasound imaging, shear wave elastography and super microvascular imaging at the same area of gastrocnemius muscle of both sides of patients and right side of controls, in resting and maximum isometric contraction. The parameters of shear wave velocity (SWV), blood flow signal, pinnation angle (PA), fascicle length (FL) and muscle thickness (MT) were recorded. Results:SWV increased in the affected side of the patients compared with those of the unaffected side and controls in resting (t > 6.346, P < 0.01), while FL shortened (|t| > 6.235, P < 0.01), MT and PA changed compared with those of the unaffected side (|t| > 2.198, P < 0.05), and blood flow signal decreased compared with those of the controls (t = 2.604, P < 0.05). In maximum isometric contraction, the decrease of FL was less compared with those of the unaffected side and controls (Z > 6.703, P < 0.001). Conclusion:Ultrasound imaging can quantitatively evaluate spasticity of gastrocnemius muscle for patients with stroke in terms of morphological structure, blood flow, and muscle stiffness.