BOLD MR imaging showed significantly higher peak hyperemic values in the gastrocnemius of college athletes versus controls, correlating positively with maximal vertical jump (r=0.56, P=0.002).
Cross-Sectional
Does BOLD MR imaging detect differences in regional skeletal muscle tissue oxygenation between college athletes and sedentary controls?
BOLD MR imaging is a viable noninvasive tool for evaluating differences in skeletal muscle tissue oxygenation between active and sedentary individuals, with peak responses correlating with functional capacity.
Effect estimate: r = 0.56
p-value: p=0.002
Blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) magnetic resonance (MR) imaging permits noninvasive assessment of tissue oxygenation. We hypothesized that BOLD imaging would allow for regional evaluation of differences in skeletal muscle oxygenation between athletes and sedentary control subjects, and dynamic BOLD responses to ischemia (i.e., proximal cuff occlusion) and reactive hyperemia (i.e., rapid cuff deflation) would relate to lower extremity function, as assessed by jumping ability. College football athletes (linemen, defensive backs/wide receivers) were compared to sedentary healthy controls. BOLD signal of the gastrocnemius, soleus, anterior tibialis, and peroneus longus was assessed for peak hyperemic value (PHV), time to peak (TTP), minimum ischemic value (MIV), and time to recovery (TTR). Significantly higher PHVs were identified in athletes versus controls for the gastrocnemius (linemen, 15.8 ± 9.1%; defensive backs/wide receivers, 17.9 ± 5.1%; controls, 7.4 ± 3.5%), soleus (linemen, 25.9 ± 11.5%; backs/receivers, 22.0 ± 9.4%; controls, 12.9 ± 5.8%), and anterior tibialis (linemen, 12.8 ± 5.3%; backs/receivers, 12.6 ± 3.9%; controls, 7.7 ± 4.0%), whereas no differences in PHV were found for the peroneus longus (linemen, 14.1 ± 6.9%; backs/receivers, 11.7 ± 4.6%; controls, 9.0 ± 4.9%). In all subject groups, the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles exhibited the lowest MIVs during cuff occlusion. No differences in TTR were found between muscles for any subject group. PHV of the gastrocnemius muscle was significantly and positively related to maximal vertical (r = 0.56, P = 0.002) and broad jump (r = 0.47, P = 0.01). These results suggest that BOLD MR imaging is a useful noninvasive tool for evaluating differences in tissue oxygenation of specific muscles between active and sedentary individuals, and peak BOLD responses may relate to functional capacity.
Stacy et al. (Mon,) conducted a cross-sectional in Healthy college athletes and sedentary controls. BOLD MR imaging vs. Sedentary healthy controls was evaluated on Correlation between peak hyperemic value (PHV) of the gastrocnemius muscle and maximal vertical jump (r = 0.56, p=0.002). BOLD MR imaging showed significantly higher peak hyperemic values in the gastrocnemius of college athletes versus controls, correlating positively with maximal vertical jump (r=0.56, P=0.002).