A1 Journal article (refereed)
Fully Automated Analysis of Muscle Architecture from B-Mode Ultrasound Images with DL_Track_US (2024)
Ritsche, P., Franchi, M. V., Faude, O., Finni, T., Seynnes, O., & Cronin, N. J. (2024). Fully Automated Analysis of Muscle Architecture from B-Mode Ultrasound Images with DL_Track_US. Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology, 50(2), 258-267. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2023.10.011
JYU authors or editors
Publication details
All authors or editors: Ritsche, Paul; Franchi, Martino V.; Faude, Oliver; Finni, Taija; Seynnes, Olivier; Cronin, Neil J.
Journal or series: Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology
ISSN: 0301-5629
eISSN: 1879-291X
Publication year: 2024
Volume: 50
Issue number: 2
Pages range: 258-267
Publisher: Elsevier
Publication country: United States
Publication language: English
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2023.10.011
Publication open access: Not open
Publication channel open access:
Abstract
B-mode ultrasound can be used to image musculoskeletal tissues, but one major bottleneck is analyses of muscle architectural parameters (i.e., muscle thickness, pennation angle and fascicle length), which are most often performed manually.
Methods
In this study we trained two different neural networks (classic U-Net and U-Net with VGG16 pre-trained encoder) to detect muscle fascicles and aponeuroses using a set of labeled musculoskeletal ultrasound images. We determined the best-performing model based on intersection over union and loss metrics. We then compared neural network predictions on an unseen test set with those obtained via manual analysis and two existing semi/automated analysis approaches (simple muscle architecture analysis [SMA] and UltraTrack). DL_Track_US detects the locations of the superficial and deep aponeuroses, as well as multiple fascicle fragments per image.
Results
For single images, DL_Track_US yielded results similar to those produced by a non-trainable automated method (SMA; mean difference in fascicle length: 5.1 mm) and human manual analysis (mean difference: –2.4 mm). Between-method differences in pennation angle were within 1.5°, and mean differences in muscle thickness were less than 1 mm. Similarly, for videos, there was overlap between the results produced with UltraTrack and DL_Track_US, with intraclass correlations ranging between 0.19 and 0.88.
Conclusion
DL_Track_US is fully automated and open source and can estimate fascicle length, pennation angle and muscle thickness from single images or videos, as well as from multiple superficial muscles. We also provide a user interface and all necessary code and training data for custom model development.
Keywords: muscles; connective tissue; musculoskeletal system; ultrasound
Contributing organizations
Ministry reporting: Yes
VIRTA submission year: 2024
Preliminary JUFO rating: 1