Comparison of Attenuation Imaging in the Rectus Femoris and Biceps Brachii Muscles with Multiecho Dixon-Based Fat Quantification and Ultrasound Echo Intensity

Background/Objectives: Sarcopenia, an underdiagnosed musculoskeletal disorder, is a serious cause of disability, poor quality of life, and healthcare costs in an increasingly elderly population. This study aimed to examine an ultrasound (US)-based, inexpensive, simple, and reproducible alternative to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for assessing muscle quality. A study compared Dixon MR fat fraction with US attenuation imaging (ATI) and echo intensity (EI) in the rectus femoris (RF) and biceps brachii (BB). Methods: The US images were acquired from 34 participants who had previously received a whole-body MRI. The ATI measurements were carried out using a linear array on a Canon Aplio i800 scanner. The measurements of EI were assessed by manually tracing the cross-sectional border of the right RF and BB muscles. Corresponding T1-weighted Dixon VIBE-based fat and water images were required for the MRI fat fraction percentage (MR %FF) measurements. Results: Using Pearsons correlation coefficient, a good correlation was found between MR %FF and EI measurements. The results between operators’ measurements showed a strong correlation and were highly repeatable. Attenuation imaging revealed no correlation with MR %FF or EI. Conclusions: Echo intensity offers a low-cost, non-invasive, and widely accessible US-based imaging modality for screening patients at risk for sarcopenia. No correlation was found between the ATI and MR %FF or between the ATI and EI. Further adapted protocols and software adjustments are needed so that ATI has the potential to prove itself as an additional US-based method for assessing fat infiltration in muscles.