Strain Ultrasound Elastography of Muscles in Healthy Children and Healthy Adults

Purpose Standardized application and evaluation of the strain ultrasound elastography method (USE) by means of a strain color scale (SCS) and a strain ratio analysis. To determine differences in muscle elasticity in healthy children and adults. Materials and Methods Initially Mm. biceps brachii, Mm. recti femoris and Mm. gastrocnemii of 22 healthy adults were examined before and after exercise. Secondly measurements were obtained at rest in 21 healthy children. Results There was a difference in muscle elasticity between the upper and lower extremity. Muscle elasticity tends to be higher after exercise in healthy adults. SCS and strain ratio analysis show a similar trend. In comparison to adults, healthy children show lower muscle elasticity at rest using both analysis methods. Conclusion Strain elastography is an easy to perform, cost-effective, non-invasive method to determine muscle stiffness, if the conditions of standardized measurements are given.