Cross-sectional area of the thigh muscle in man measured by computed tomography
- 1 January 1978
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Taylor & Francis in Scandinavian Journal of Clinical and Laboratory Investigation
- Vol. 38 (4), 355-360
- https://doi.org/10.3109/00365517809108434
Abstract
Nine subjects with different training background were studied by means of muscle biopsy from musculus vastus lateralis. The cross-cut area of the different muscle fibre types was measured. By the use of a soft tissue X-ray technique, computed tomography, a cross-sectional picture of the thigh was produced at the same level as the biopsy was taken. The total cross-cut area of the vastus lateralis muscle was measured from this picture. This technique to measure a cross-cut muscle area from an X-ray picture was evaluated and found to be accurate and reproducible. The mean fibre area was highly correlated (r = 0.91; P<0.001) to the cross-cut area of the vastus lateralis muscle. The total number of fibres in the vastus lateralis muscle was estimated. It was concluded that the cross-sectional area of the thigh muscle can be accurately determined by means of computed tomography. The larger cross-sectional area of the vastus lateralis muscle in well trained subjects was primarily explained by a larger cross-sectional area of the fibre, while the total number of fibres in the vastus lateralis muscle seemed to be fairly equal among the subjects.Keywords
This publication has 14 references indexed in Scilit:
- Skeletal Muscle Fiber Splitting Induced by Weight‐Lifting Exercise in CatsActa Physiologica Scandinavica, 1977
- Principles of computer assisted tomography (CAT) in radiographic and radioisotopic imagingPhysics in Medicine & Biology, 1976
- EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES TO DETERMINE APPLICATION OF CAT SCANNING TO THE HUMAN BODYAmerican Journal of Roentgenology, 1975
- Ultrasound physics for the physician a brief reviewJournal of Clinical Ultrasound, 1975
- Computerized transverse axial scanning (tomography): Part 1. Description of systemThe British Journal of Radiology, 1973
- Computerized transverse axial scanning (tomography): Part 3. Radiation dose considerationsThe British Journal of Radiology, 1973
- Data on the distribution of fibre types in thirty-six human musclesJournal of the Neurological Sciences, 1973
- The pharmacological actions of alcohol in relation to nutritionProceedings Of The Nutrition Society, 1972
- Differences in Sizes of Red and White Muscle Fibres in Vastus Lateralis of Musculus Quadriceps Femoris of Normal Individuals and Athletes. Relation to Physical PerformanceScandinavian Journal of Clinical and Laboratory Investigation, 1972
- Measurement of fat thickness in man: a comparison of ultrasound, Harpenden calipers and electrical conductivityBritish Journal of Nutrition, 1966