Homogeneity of echo intensity values in transverse ultrasound images

Introduction: Echo intensity of skeletal muscle measured by means of ultrasonography has been used to assess muscle quality, however, the heterogeneity of echo intensity has not been thoroughly investigated. Therefore, this study examined echo intensity in different sections of panoramic ultrasound images captured in the transverse plane. Methods: Echo intensity of the vastus lateralis was assessed in 24 men (20.2 ± 1.6 years) using panoramic ultrasonography. Echo intensity homogeneity was examined by dividing each image into 3 compartments of equal horizontal length (tertiles). Results: No differences were found between echo intensity of the anterior tertile (59.1 ± 9.1 AU), posterior tertile (56.4 ± 9.9 AU), lateral tertile (58.7 ± 9.9 AU), or the overall panoramic image (58.0 ± 8.8 AU). Conclusions: Echo intensity of the vastus lateralis appears to be homogeneous as assessed in the transverse plane. Further research is necessary to determine if still imaging is sufficient to obtain an accurate measure of echo intensity. Muscle Nerve 56: 93–98, 2017.