Investigating the relationship between diffusion MR measures and passive torques of finger flexor muscles in individuals with cerebral palsy

Motivation: Individuals with cerebral palsy (CP) often experience atypical biomechanical properties in the hand, yet little is known regarding the in vivo microstructural mechanisms in the muscle that underlie these impairments. Goal(s): This study aimed to establish the relationship between diffusion MRI measures in forearm muscles and biomechanical features of the fingers. Approach: Diffusion MR and torque measurements were acquired in five individuals with CP. Correlations between MR measures and the passive torque at the finger joints were investigated. Results: Passive torque was significantly correlated with muscle volume (r=0.68,p=0.045) and FA (r=0.69,p=0.040), but FA and muscle volume were not significantly correlated with one another. Impact: Diffusion MR-derived metrics such as FA and muscle volume have potential to be clinically translatable measures for identifying altered biomechanics in individuals with cerebral palsy and other populations with neuromuscular pathologies.