Why the study?
Do grayscale ultrasound and shear wave elastography identify differences in Achilles tendon thickness and stiffness in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia compared to healthy controls?
Do grayscale ultrasound and shear wave elastography identify differences in Achilles tendon thickness and stiffness in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia compared to healthy controls?
Grayscale ultrasound and shear wave elastography can quantitatively assess and identify increased thickness and decreased elasticity in the Achilles tendons of patients with familial hypercholesterolemia.
Supports technical feasibility of SWE in FH tendons; leaves open clinical diagnostic role pending validation.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the feasibility of grayscale ultrasound and quantitative shear wave elastography (SWE) for assessing the image features and stiffness of the Achilles tendon in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) compared with healthy controls. METHODS: A total of 38 Achilles tendons from healthy control participants and 94 from patients with FH were examined with grayscale ultrasound and SWE. Each Achilles tendon examination was performed on 3 different segments (proximal, middle, and distal). The thickness, grayscale image features and elasticity modulus of each segment was measured on longitudinal views. RESULTS: In Achilles tendons of healthy control participants, the thicknesses of the proximal, middle, and distal segments were (4.46 ± 0.68) mm, (5.41 ± 1.01) mm, and (4.41 ± 0.57) mm, respectively. The grayscale features were diffusely hypoechoic with parallel linear hyperechoic striations. The mean elasticity modulus of the proximal, middle, and distal sites was (418.08 ± 43.13) kPa, (425.78 ± 47.14) kPa, and (407.79 ± 38.74) kPa, respectively. In the FH group, the thicknesses of the proximal, middle, and distal segments were (7.65 ± 3.09) mm, (11.46 ± 4.84) mm, and (8.14 ± 2.90) mm, respectively. The grayscale features were hypoechoic with linear hyperechoic disordered fibre distribution (92/94). Two of 94 Achilles tendons had considerable focal hypoechogenicity. Seventeen of 94 Achilles tendons had calcifications. In the FH group, the mean elasticity modulus of the proximal, middle, and distal segments were (294.86 ± 58.13) kPa, (280.93 ± 63.58) kPa, and (282.41 ± 56.47) kPa, respectively. Statistically significant differences were found between the Achilles tendons of healthy control participants and FH patients in the thicknesses and mean elasticity modulus at the proximal, middle and distal segments of the Achilles tendons (all P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that the grayscale features and SWE characteristics of the Achilles tendon provided complementary biomechanical information for quantitative assessment the Achilles tendon in patients with FH.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Zhang et al. (2018) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: