Work

Evaluation of IVIM and FACT imaging for early detection of rotator cuff muscle degeneration and physiotherapy exercise effects

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Background: This study investigated novel magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques, including intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) and fat analysis & calculation technique (FACT) to detect early pathologic changes in rotator cuff (RC) muscle in patients with shoulder pain and evaluate rehabilitation effects. Methods: = 42) after physiotherapy exercise. The contralateral shoulder served as control. IVIM-derived parameters (apparent diffusion coefficient, ADC; diffusion coefficient, D; pseudo-diffusion coefficient, D*; perfusion fraction, f; and their product, fD*) and FACT-derived parameters (fat fraction, FF) were measured in four RC muscles. Clinical assessment included Constant Score (CS), the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES), and the Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Differences in imaging parameters were compared between the affected and the contralateral shoulder. Changes in imaging parameters and clinical scores after exercise rehabilitation were analyzed between baseline and 3-month follow-up. Correlation analysis was conducted between the change in imaging values and the change in clinical scores. Results: > 0.05). Conclusion: Capillary flow impairment (reflected by D*) appears more prominent than fat infiltration (reflected by FF) in the early RC muscle degeneration. IVIM-derived parameters, particularly D* may assist clinicians in detecting early-stage muscle degeneration and provide a non-invasive method for monitoring rehabilitation outcomes.

Source: Frontiers in Sports and Active Living

DOI: 10.3389/fspor.2025.1688162