Repeatability of an MR elastography biomarker for quantitatively assessing myofascial interface mobility in chronic lower back pain

Motivation: Myofascial interface adhesion involving paraspinal muscles is considered a key factor in chronic low back pain associated with myofascial pain syndrome, providing motivation for developing an imaging-based technique for quantitatively assessing myofascial mobility in the lower back. Goal(s): To validate the repeatability of MR Elastography-based slip interface imaging (SII) for quantifying myofascial mobility in the lower back of healthy participants. Approach: To assess within-day and between-day repeatability of a new SII biomarker for lumbar inter-muscular myofascial interfaces. Results: SII shows high repeatability, with moderate-to-excellent Intraclass-Correlation-Coefficient and excellent within-subject coefficient of variation, demonstrating its potential for quantifying myofascial interface mobility. Impact: The study demonstrated a non-invasive imaging technique for quantifying myofascial mobility in the lower back, with promising repeatability metrics suggesting SII could serve as a reliable biomarker for assessing myofascial adhesion in MPS patients with chronic low back pain.