KR-20260065142-A - APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CALCULATING EFFECTIVE CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA INDEX FOR MUSCLE

KR20260065142AKR 20260065142 AKR20260065142 AKR 20260065142AKR-20260065142-A

Abstract

An apparatus and method for calculating an effective cross-sectional area index for a muscle region are disclosed, and a method for calculating an effective cross-sectional area index for a muscle region according to one embodiment of the present invention may include: (a) acquiring medical image data of a muscle region of a subject; (b) deriving cross-sectional area information of an effective region excluding a bone region of the muscle region using the medical image data; (c) deriving fat fraction information of the effective region using the medical image data; and (d) calculating an effective cross-sectional area index associated with the muscle region using the cross-sectional area information and the fat fraction information.

Inventors

이규정
강창호

Assignees

고려대학교 산학협력단

Dates

Publication Date: 20260508
Application Date: 20241101

Claims (15)

In a method for calculating the effective cross-sectional area index for a muscle region, (a) A step of acquiring medical image data of the subject's muscle area; (b) a step of deriving cross-sectional area information of an effective region excluding the bone region of the muscle area using the medical imaging data above; (c) a step of deriving fat fraction information of the effective area using the medical imaging data above; and (d) a step of calculating an effective cross-sectional area index associated with the muscle region using the cross-sectional area information and the fat amount information, A method including
In paragraph 1, The above step (b) is, A step of identifying the boundary of the valid area from the medical image data; and A step of calculating the cross-sectional area of the interior region of the above-identified boundary, A method that includes
In paragraph 1, The above step (c) is, A step of identifying the boundary of the valid area from the medical image data; and A step of calculating the amount of fat corresponding to the internal area of the above-identified boundary, A method that includes
In paragraph 1, The above muscle region includes the rotator cuff region, and A method in which the bone region above includes the scapula region.
In paragraph 4, The above effective area is, A method comprising a first region corresponding to the supraspinatus muscle among the rotator cuff regions, a second region corresponding to the infraspinatus and teres minor muscles among the rotator cuff regions, and a third region corresponding to the subscapularis muscle among the rotator cuff regions.
In paragraph 5, A method characterized in that each of the above cross-sectional area information, above fat amount information, and above effective cross-sectional area indicator is calculated individually for each of the above first to above third areas.
In paragraph 1, A method characterized in that the medical imaging data is oblique T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging.
In paragraph 1, (e) a step of generating evaluation information linked to the subject's muscle function using the above effective cross-sectional area indicator, A method that further includes
In a device for calculating an effective cross-sectional area index for a muscle region, A data input unit for acquiring medical image data of a subject's muscle area; A cross-sectional area analysis unit that derives cross-sectional area information of an effective area excluding the bone region of the muscle area using the medical imaging data above; A fat fraction analysis unit that derives fat fraction information of the effective area using the medical imaging data above; and An indicator calculation unit that calculates an effective cross-sectional area index associated with the muscle region using the above cross-sectional area information and the above fat amount information, A device including
In Paragraph 9, The above cross-sectional area analysis unit is, A device for identifying the boundary of the valid area from the medical image data and calculating the cross-sectional area of the internal area of the identified boundary.
In Paragraph 9, The above-mentioned fat content analysis unit is, A device for identifying the boundary of the effective area from the medical image data and calculating the amount of fat corresponding to the internal area of the identified boundary.
In Paragraph 9, The above muscle region includes the rotator cuff region, and A device in which the above bone region includes the scapula region.
In Paragraph 12, The above effective area is, It includes a first region corresponding to the supraspinatus muscle among the rotator cuff regions, a second region corresponding to the infraspinatus and teres minor muscles among the rotator cuff regions, and a third region corresponding to the subscapularis muscle among the rotator cuff regions. A device characterized in that the above cross-sectional area information, the above fat amount information, and the above effective cross-sectional area indicator are each calculated individually for each of the above first to third areas.
In Paragraph 9, A device characterized in that the medical imaging data is oblique T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging.
In Paragraph 9, An evaluation performing unit that generates evaluation information linked to the subject's muscle function using the above effective cross-sectional area indicator, A device that further includes

Description

Apparatus and Method for Calculating Effective Cross-Sectional Area Index for Muscle The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for calculating an effective cross-sectional area index for a muscle region. For example, the present invention relates to a technique for measuring the effective cross-sectional area index of a rotator cuff muscle. The fact that muscle cross-sectional area can be associated with muscle strength and muscle function has been proven through various prior studies. These conventional studies primarily analyzed the correlation between muscle cross-sectional area, measured using ultrasound imaging or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and muscle function, evaluated using a dynamometer. However, these conventional studies have a limitation in that most of them measured only the total cross-sectional area of the muscle and did not consider the fat portion, which does not contribute to actual muscle function. In this regard, since intramuscular fat accumulates due to muscle degeneration and has little effect on actual muscle function, simply measuring the total cross-sectional area may not accurately reflect the actual functional capacity of the muscle. In addition, the currently widely used method for evaluating muscle function using the Biodex dynamometer requires active movement from the patient, which has limitations in that it is difficult to apply to patients with pain or limited movement for other reasons. In particular, this limitation is even more pronounced in the case of shoulder disorders, as there are many patients who are unable to move normally due to pain. In addition, there is a need for not only general research or techniques that provide an overview of comprehensive muscle evaluation indicators, but also indicators capable of evaluating and quantifying the movement and function of specific, single muscles, such as the rotator cuff. The technology forming the background of the present invention is disclosed in Korean Published Patent Application No. 10-2023-0167468. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a muscle function evaluation system according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating the process of calculating cross-sectional area information using medical image data. Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating the process of calculating fat volume information using medical imaging data. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a device for calculating an effective cross-sectional area index for a muscle region according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a flowchart of the operation of a method for calculating an effective cross-sectional area index for a muscle region according to one embodiment of the present invention. Embodiments of the present invention are described below with reference to the attached drawings to enable those skilled in the art to easily implement the invention. However, the present invention may be embodied in various different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. Furthermore, in order to clearly explain the present invention in the drawings, parts unrelated to the explanation have been omitted, and similar parts throughout the specification are denoted by similar reference numerals. Throughout this specification, when a part is described as being "connected" to another part, this includes not only cases where they are "directly connected," but also cases where they are "electrically connected" or "indirectly connected" with other elements interposed between them. Throughout the entire specification, when a component is described as being located "on," "on top," "on top," "under," "on bottom," or "on bottom" of another component, this includes not only cases where the component is in contact with the other component but also cases where another component exists between the two components. Throughout this specification, when a part is described as "comprising" a certain component, this means that, unless specifically stated otherwise, it does not exclude other components but may include additional components. The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for calculating an effective cross-sectional area index for a muscle region. For example, the present invention relates to a technique for measuring the effective cross-sectional area index of a rotator cuff muscle. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a muscle function evaluation system according to one embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, a muscle function evaluation system (10) according to one embodiment of the present invention may include an effective cross-sectional area index calculation device (100) for a muscle area according to one embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as 'index calculation device (100)'), a shooting device (200), an image database (300), and a user terminal (400). The indicator calculation device (100), the shooting device (200), the image dat