High-frequency Quantitative Ultrasound Imaging of Human Rotator Cuff Muscles: Assessment of Repeatability and Reproducibility

Yuanshan Wu, Victor Barrere, Aria Ashir, Xiaojun Chen, Livia T. Silva, Saeed Jerban, Aiguo Han, Michael P. Andre, Sameer B. Shah, Eric Y. Chang

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

This study evaluated the repeatability and reproducibility of using high-frequency quantitative ultrasound (QUS) measurement of backscatter coefficient (BSC), grayscale analysis, and gray-level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) textural analysis, to characterize human rotator cuff muscles. The effects of varying scanner settings across two different operators and two US systems were investigated in a healthy volunteer with normal rotator cuff muscles and a patient with chronic massive rotator cuff injury and substantial muscle degeneration. The results suggest that BSC is a promising method for assessing rotator cuff muscles in both control and pathological subjects, even when operators were free to adjust system settings (depth, level of focus, and time-gain compensation). Measurements were repeatable and reproducible across the different operators and ultrasound imaging platforms. In contrast, grayscale and GLCM analyses were found to be less reliable in this setting, with significant measurement variability. Overall, the repeatability and reproducibility measurements of BSC indicate its potential as a diagnostic tool for rotator cuff muscle evaluation.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)56-70
Number of pages15
JournalUltrasonic Imaging
Volume46
Issue number1
Early online dateNov 20 2023
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 2024
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • backscatter coefficient
  • high frequency imaging
  • quantitative imaging biomarkers alliance
  • quantitative ultrasound
  • rotator cuff muscles
  • textural characterization

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Radiological and Ultrasound Technology
  • Radiology Nuclear Medicine and imaging

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