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. 2020 Apr 1;30(1):8851.
doi: 10.4081/ejtm.2019.8851. eCollection 2020 Apr 7.

The importance of sonographic evaluation of muscle depth and thickness prior to the 'tiny percutaneous needle biopsy'

Affiliations

The importance of sonographic evaluation of muscle depth and thickness prior to the 'tiny percutaneous needle biopsy'

Tereza Jandova et al. Eur J Transl Myol. .

Abstract

Biopsy of human skeletal muscle tissue is a widely used method in many research studies, where 'the tiny percutaneous needle biopsy' (TPNB) is one of the relatively simplest and safest procedures currently available. By using and contrasting ultrasound images of vastus lateralis of young and elderly subjects, this work highlights further the safety aspects of TPNB and stresses the importance of prior ultrasound evaluation of muscle depth and thickness in order to prevent wrong muscle group or tissue sampling in subsequent laboratory analyses.

Keywords: echography; muscle imaging; muscle sample; ultrasound; vastus lateralis.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest The authors declare they have no financial, personal, or other conflicts of interest.We confirm that we have read the Journal’s position on issues involved in ethical publication and affirm that this report is consistent with those guidelines. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of “G. d’Annunzio” University (protocol n. 16/2019) and was in accordance to the Declaration of Helsinki.

Figures

Fig 1.
Fig 1.
Ultrasound images of vastus lateralis, of a 32 years-old male subjects without any acute or chronic muscular disease (BMI: 23.1 Kg/m, estimated Fat-Free Mass from bioimpedance: 80%); A- first day after biopsy, B - fourth day after biopsy; images from “Kanchenjunga Exploration & Physiology” research project
Fig. 2.
Fig. 2.
Tiny percutaneous needle biopsy from vastus lateralis muscle; A - Sterile procedure during muscle biopsy at a one-third distal distance between the greater trochanter and patellar top border performed by a trained medical doctor; B - Semi-automatic needle used for the biopsy (PRECISA® model 1310 - HS Hospital Service SpA, Latina, Italy)
Fig. 3.
Fig. 3.
Ultrasound images of vastus lateralis; the orange circle shows a biopsy site after 7 weeks (pre-Nepal); A - 48 years-old male subjects without any acute or chronic muscular disease (BMI: 28.0 Kg/m, estimated Fat- Free Mass from bioimpedance: 77%); B - 25 years-old male subjects without any acute or chronic muscular disease (BMI: 23.1 Kg/m, estimated Fat-Free Mass from bioimpedance: 79%); images from “Kanchenjunga Exploration & Physiology” research project
Fig. 4.
Fig. 4.
Ultrasound images of vastus lateralis of sarcopenic elderly subjects; A - 83 years old sarcopenic obese female; B - 84 years old sarcopenic male
Fig 5.
Fig 5.
Ultrasound images of vastus lateralis at a one-third distal distance between great trochanter and patellar top border of healthy elderly subjects; A) 66 years old female; B) 68 years old male

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