Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Modular MR-compatible lower leg exercise device for whole-body scanners

  • Technical Report
  • Published:
Skeletal Radiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

To develop a modular MR-compatible lower leg exercise device for muscle testing using a clinical 3 T MR scanner.

Materials and methods

An exercise device to provide isotonic resistance to plantar- or dorsiflexion was constructed from nonferrous materials and designed for easy setup and use in a clinical environment. Validation tests were performed during dynamic MR acquisitions. For this purpose, the device was tested on the posterior lower leg musculature of five subjects during 3 min of exercise at 30% of maximum voluntary plantarflexion during 31-phosphorus MR spectroscopy (31P-MRS). Measures of muscle phosphocreatine (PCr), inorganic phosphate (Pi), and pH were obtained before, during, and after the exercise protocol.

Results

At the end of exercise regimen, muscle PCr showed a 28% decrease from resting levels (to 21.8 ± 3.9  from 30.4 ± 3.0  mM) and the average PCr recovery rate was 35.3 ± 8.3 s. Muscle Pi concentrations increased 123% (to 14.6 ± 4.7 from 6.5 ± 3.3  mM) and pH decreased 1.5% (to 7.06 ± 0.14 from 7.17 ± 0.07) from resting levels.

Conclusion

The described MR-compatible lower leg exercise was an effective tool for data acquisition during dynamic MR acquisitions of the calf muscles. The modular design allows for adaptation to other whole-body MR scanners and incorporation of custom-built mechanical or electronic interfaces and can be used for any MR protocol requiring dynamic evaluation of calf muscles.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

References

  1. Argov Z, Lofberg M, Arnold DL. Insights into muscle diseases gained by phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Muscle Nerve. 2000;23:1316–34.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Quistorff B, Nielsen S, Thomsen C, Jensen KE, Henriksen O. A simple calf muscle ergometer for use in a standard whole-body MR scanner. Magn Reson Med. 1990;13:444–9.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Isbell DC, Epstein FH, Zhong X, DiMaria JM, Berr SS, Meyer CH, et al. Calf muscle perfusion at peak exercise in peripheral arterial disease: measurement by first-pass contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging. J Magn Reson Imaging. 2007;25:1013–20.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Meyerspeer M, Krssak M, Kemp GJ, Roden M, Moser E. Dynamic interleaved 1H/31P STEAM MRS at 3 Tesla using a pneumatic force-controlled plantar flexion exercise rig. MAGMA. 2005;18:257–62.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Ryschon TW, Fowler MD, Arai AA, Wysong RE, Leighton SB, Clem Sr TR, et al. A multimode dynamometer for in vivo MRS studies of human skeletal muscle. J Appl Physiol. 1995;79:2139–47.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Francescato MP, Cettolo V. Two-pedal ergometer for in vivo MRS studies of human calf muscles. Magn Reson Med. 2001;46:1000–5.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Raymer GH, Allman BL, Rice CL, Marsh GD, Thompson RT. Characteristics of a MR-compatible ankle exercise ergometer for a 3.0 T head-only MR scanner. Med Eng Phys. 2006;28:489–94.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Graf H, Lauer UA, Schick F. Eddy-current induction in extended metallic parts as a source of considerable torsional moment. J Magn Reson Imaging. 2006;23:585–90.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Allinger TL, Engsberg JR. A method to determine the range of motion of the ankle joint complex, in vivo. J Biomech. 1993;26:69–76.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Vanhamme L, van den Boogaart A, Van Huffel S. Improved method for accurate and efficient quantification of MRS data with use of prior knowledge. J Magn Reson. 1997;129:35–43.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Meyerspeer M, Krssak M, Moser E. Relaxation times of 31P-metabolites in human calf muscle at 3 T. Magn Reson Med. 2003;49:620–5.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Jeneson JA, Schmitz JP, Hilbers PA, Nicolay K. An MR-compatible bicycle ergometer for in-magnet whole-body human exercise testing. Magn Reson Med. 2010;63:257–61.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Fleischman A, Kron M, Systrom DM, Hrovat M, Grinspoon SK. Mitochondrial function and insulin resistance in overweight and normal-weight children. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2009;94:4923–30.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Forbes SC, Paganini AT, Slade JM, Towse TF, Meyer RA. Phosphocreatine recovery kinetics following low- and high-intensity exercise in human triceps surae and rat posterior hindlimb muscles. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2009;296:R161–170.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. van Beek JD. matNMR: a flexible toolbox for processing, analyzing and visualizing magnetic resonance data in Matlab. J Magn Reson. 2007;187:19–26.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Johnson MA, Polgar J, Weightman D, Appleton D. Data on the distribution of fibre types in thirty-six human muscles. An autopsy study. J Neurol Sci. 1973;18:111–29.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Schrauwen-Hinderling VB, Kooi ME, Hesselink MK, Jeneson JA, Backes WH, van Echteld CJ, et al. Impaired in vivo mitochondrial function but similar intramyocellular lipid content in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and BMI-matched control subjects. Diabetologia. 2007;50:113–20.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Musculoskeletal Imaging and Intervention, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit Street, YAW 6048, Boston, MA, 02114, USA

    Reza Hosseini Ghomi, Miriam A. Bredella, Bijoy J. Thomas & Martin Torriani

  2. Neuroendocrine Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

    Karen K. Miller

Authors
  1. Reza Hosseini Ghomi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Miriam A. Bredella
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Bijoy J. Thomas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Karen K. Miller
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Martin Torriani
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Martin Torriani.

Additional information

This work was supported in part by National Institutes of Health Grants RO1 HL-077674, UL1 RR025758, and K23 RR-23090.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Hosseini Ghomi, R., Bredella, M.A., Thomas, B.J. et al. Modular MR-compatible lower leg exercise device for whole-body scanners. Skeletal Radiol 40, 1349–1354 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00256-011-1098-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00256-011-1098-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation