Abstract

Regardless of the way of treatment, persistent deficits in calf muscles in recovered patients from Achilles tendon rupture (ATR) exist long-term postinjury. Studies on calf muscle changes mostly highlight morphological changes in the calf muscles and Achilles tendon. However, limited attention has been given to fascicular changes. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) can provide a better understanding of the characteristics and properties of tissues with organized microstructure. In the current study, we used DTI-derived indices (mean diffusivity (MD), fractional anisotropy (FA), and eigenvalues—λ1, λ2, and λ3) and fiber tractography to better understand the soleus muscle after recovery from ATR by comparing the results of injured legs with healthy ones. Our findings suggest that the standard deviations of measured parameters (FA, MD, and eigenvalues) within the soleus muscle are better predictors of the changes associated with the ATR as compared to the control counterpart for the volumetric region of interest (ROI). Additionally, in four out of five participants, smaller tracts were observed in the injured leg compared to the healthy one, as evidenced by the fiber length distribution of the tracts. Altogether, this study demonstrates the feasibility of the DTI and fiber tractography approaches to quantify the fascicular changes in the individuals recovered from ATR.

References

1.
Svensson
,
R. B.
,
Couppé
,
C.
,
Agergaard
,
A.
,
Ohrhammar Josefsen
,
C.
,
Jensen
,
M. H.
,
Barfod
,
K. W.
,
Nybing
,
J. D.
,
Hansen
,
P.
,
Krogsgaard
,
M.
, and
Magnusson
,
S. P.
,
2019
, “
Persistent Functional Loss Following Ruptured Achilles Tendon Is Associated With Reduced Gastrocnemius Muscle Fascicle Length, Elongated Gastrocnemius and Soleus Tendon, and Reduced Muscle Cross‐Sectional Area
,”
Transl. Sport. Med.
,
2
(
6
), pp.
316
324
.10.1002/tsm2.103
2.
Bostick
,
G. P.
,
Jomha
,
N. M.
,
Suchak
,
A. A.
, and
Beaupré
,
L. A.
,
2010
, “
Factors Associated With Calf Muscle Endurance Recovery 1 Year After Achilles Tendon Rupture Repair
,”
J. Orthop. Sports Phys. Ther.
,
40
(
6
), pp.
345
351
.10.2519/jospt.2010.3204
3.
Hullfish
,
T. J.
,
O'Connor
,
K. M.
, and
Baxter
,
J. R.
,
2019
, “
Gastrocnemius Fascicles Are Shorter and More Pennate Throughout the First Month Following Acute Achilles Tendon Rupture
,”
PeerJ
,
7
, p.
e6788
.10.7717/peerj.6788
4.
Kangas
,
J.
,
Pajala
,
A.
,
Ohtonen
,
P.
, and
Leppilahti
,
J.
,
2007
, “
Achilles Tendon Elongation After Rupture Repair: A Randomized Comparison of 2 Postoperative Regimens
,”
Am. J. Sports Med.
,
35
(
1
), pp.
59
64
.10.1177/0363546506293255
5.
Zellers
,
J. A.
,
Cortes
,
D. H.
,
Corrigan
,
P.
,
Pontiggia
,
L.
, and
Grävare Silbernagel
,
K.
,
2019
, “
Side-to-Side Differences in Achilles Tendon Geometry and Mechanical Properties Following Achilles Tendon Rupture
,”
Muscle Ligaments Tendons J.
,
07
(
3
), p.
541
.10.32098/mltj.03.2017.18
6.
Damon
,
B. M.
,
Froeling
,
M.
,
Buck
,
A. K. W.
,
Oudeman
,
J.
,
Ding
,
Z.
,
Nederveen
,
A. J.
,
Bush
,
E. C.
, and
Strijkers
,
G. J.
,
2017
, “
Skeletal Muscle Diffusion Tensor-MRI Fiber Tracking: Rationale, Data Acquisition and Analysis Methods, Applications and Future Directions
,”
NMR Biomed.
,
30
(
3
), p. e3563.10.1002/nbm.3563
7.
Sinha
,
S.
, and
Sinha
,
U.
,
2011
, “
Reproducibility Analysis of Diffusion Tensor Indices and Fiber Architecture of Human Calf Muscles In Vivo at 1.5 Tesla in Neutral and Plantarflexed Ankle Positions at Rest
,”
J. Magn. Reson. Imaging
,
34
(
1
), pp.
107
119
.10.1002/jmri.22596
8.
Heemskerk
,
A. M.
,
Sinha
,
T. K.
,
Wilson
,
K. J.
,
Ding
,
Z.
, and
Damon
,
B. M.
,
2009
, “
Quantitative Assessment of DTI-Based Muscle Fiber Tracking and Optimal Tracking Parameters
,”
Magn. Reson. Med.
,
61
(
2
), pp.
467
472
.10.1002/mrm.21819
9.
Bolsterlee
,
B.
,
Finni
,
T.
,
D'Souza
,
A.
,
Eguchi
,
J.
,
Clarke
,
E. C.
, and
Herbert
,
R. D.
,
2018
, “
Three-Dimensional Architecture of the Whole Human Soleus Muscle In Vivo
,”
PeerJ
,
6
(
4
), p.
e4610
.10.7717/peerj.4610
10.
Häggmark
,
T.
, and
Eriksson
,
E.
,
1979
, “
Hypotrophy of the Soleus Muscle in Man After Achilles Tendon Rupture
,”
Am. J. Sports Med.
,
7
(
2
), pp.
121
126
.10.1177/036354657900700208
11.
Jandacka
,
D.
,
Silvernail
,
J. F.
,
Uchytil
,
J.
,
Zahradnik
,
D.
,
Farana
,
R.
, and
Hamill
,
J.
,
2017
, “
Do Athletes Alter Their Running Mechanics After an Achilles Tendon Rupture?
,”
J. Foot Ankle Res.
,
10
(
1
), p.
53
.10.1186/s13047-017-0235-0
12.
Nestorson
,
J.
,
Movin
,
T.
,
Möller
,
M.
, and
Karlsson
,
J.
,
2000
, “
Function After Achilles Tendon Rupture in the Elderly: 25 Patients Older Than 65 Years Followed for 3 Years
,”
Acta Orthop. Scand.
,
71
(
1
), pp.
64
68
.10.1080/00016470052943928
13.
Olsson
,
N.
,
Nilsson-Helander
,
K.
,
Karlsson
,
J.
,
Eriksson
,
B. I.
,
Thomée
,
R.
,
Faxén
,
E.
, and
Silbernagel
,
K. G.
,
2011
, “
Major Functional Deficits Persist 2 Years After Acute Achilles Tendon Rupture
,”
Knee Surg., Sports Traumatol. Arthrosc.
,
19
(
8
), pp.
1385
1393
.10.1007/s00167-011-1511-3
14.
Yeh, F.-C., Wedeen, V. J., and Tseng, W.-Y. I., 2010, “
DSI Studio: A Tractography Processing and Analysis Software
,” DSI Studio, accessed Dec. 2023, https://dsi-studio.labsolver.org/
15.
MRI Studio, 2007, “
MRI Studio (DTI Studio & ROI Editor)
,” Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, accessed Oct. 4, 2024, https://www.mristudio.org/
16.
Bolsterlee
,
B.
,
D'Souza
,
A.
,
Gandevia
,
S. C.
, and
Herbert
,
R. D.
,
2017
, “
How Does Passive Lengthening Change the Architecture of the Human Medial Gastrocnemius Muscle?
,”
J. Appl. Physiol.
,
122
(
4
), pp.
727
738
.10.1152/japplphysiol.00976.2016
17.
Tournier, J.-D., Smith, R. E., Raffelt, D., Tabbara, R., Dhollander, T., Pietsch, M., Christiaens, D., Jeurissen, B., Yeh, C.-H., and Connelly, A., 2019, “
MRtrix: A Fast, Flexible and Open Software Framework for Medical Image Processing and Visualisation
,”
NeuroImage
, 202(2019), pp.
116
137
.10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.116137
18.
Arefin
,
T. M.
,
Lee
,
C. H.
,
Liang
,
Z.
,
Rallapalli
,
H.
,
Wadghiri
,
Y. Z.
,
Turnbull
,
D. H.
, and
Zhang
,
J.
,
2023
, “
Towards Reliable Reconstruction of the Mouse Brain Corticothalamic Connectivity Using Diffusion MRI
,”
Neuroimage
,
273
, p.
120111
.10.1016/j.neuroimage.2023.120111
19.
Arefin
,
T. M.
,
Lee
,
C. H.
,
White
,
J. D.
,
Zhang
,
J.
, and
Kaffman
,
A.
,
2021
, “
Macroscopic Structural and Connectome Mapping of the Mouse Brain Using Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging
,”
Bio-protocol
,
11
(
22
), p.
e4221
.10.21769/BioProtoc.4221
20.
Takao
,
S.
,
Kaneda
,
M.
,
Sasahara
,
M.
,
Takayama
,
S.
,
Matsumura
,
Y.
,
Okahisa
,
T.
,
Goto
,
T.
,
Sato
,
N.
,
Katoh
,
S.
,
Harada
,
M.
, and
Ueno
,
J.
,
2022
, “
Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) of Human Lower Leg Muscles: Correlation Between DTI Parameters and Muscle Power With Different Ankle Positions
,”
Jpn. J. Radiol.
,
40
(
9
), pp.
939
948
.10.1007/s11604-022-01274-1
You do not currently have access to this content.