Abstract：Objective: To assess the gastrocnemius muscle stiffness in patients with chronic heart failure(CHF) by shear wave elastography(SWE), and to explore the clinical value of SWE in the evaluation of peripheral muscle stiffness changes in patients with CHF. Methods: Thirty patients with clinical diagnosis of CHF were selected as the heart failure group, and 30 healthy subjects from the same period were selected as the control group. SWE was performed on the lateral head of the gastrocnemius of the two groups of subjects at rest and extension, and the Young’s modulus value and shear wave velocity(SWV) were obtained, and then statistical analysis was performed. Results: ①There was no significant difference in the Young’s modulus and SWV between the two groups at the rest of the gastrocnemius(P>0.05). When the gastrocnemius muscle was in the stretching state, the Young’s modulus values and SWV of the control group were significantly higher than those of the heart failure group, the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05). ②In the heart failure group, the left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF) was significantly positively correlated with the Young’s modulus and SWV of the gastrocnemius muscle. As the LVEF decreased, the Young’s modulus and SWV decreased gradually(r=0.719, P<0.001; r=0.744, P<0.001). Conclusion: SWE is a non-invasive and reproducible ultrasound technique that can be used to assess peripheral muscle stiffness in patients with CHF and to assess muscle contractility so that these patients benefit from early rehabilitation exercises, and then improving muscle contraction.
张 曈，逯雪峰，杨华睿，童明辉. 剪切波弹性成像技术评估慢性心衰患者骨骼肌硬度改变的初步研究[J]. 中国临床医学影像杂志, 2020, 31(6): 418-421.
ZHANG Tong, LU Xue-feng, YANG Hua-rui, TONG Ming-hui. Evaluation of muscle changes in patients with chronic heart failure by shear wave elastography. JOURNAL OF CHINA MEDICAL IMAGING, 2020, 31(6): 418-421.
