: Is there a correlation between the biceps brachii muscle stiffness measured by elastography and severity of lymphedema in patients with breast cancer-related lymphedema?
Abstract
Aim: Breast-cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) causes symptoms such as swelling, heaviness, tightness, firmness, pain, numbness, or impaired mobility in the affected arm and hand. It also predisposes patients to fibrosis, cellulitis, infections, lymphadenitis, and septicemia. Aim of this study was to analyze correlation between the biceps brachii muscle stiffness measured by shear wave elastography (SWE) and severity of the lymphedema.
Methods: This prospective study included 20 consecutive patients (mean age, 54.6±5.4 years) with having BCRL in the upper limb. Stiffness of the biceps brachii muscle was assessed by SWE. Shear wave speeds (SWS) of the biceps muscle on the affected side for each patient were measured. Severity of the lymphedema was determined by difference between diameters and volumes of affected and unaffected extremities. Correlations between the biceps brachii muscle stiffness measured by SWE and difference between diameters and volumes of affected and unaffected extremities were analyzed.
Results: SWS of the biceps muscle on the affected side showed positive fair correlation with difference between diameters and volumes of affected and unaffected extremities (0.70≥ r≥ 0.51).
Conclusion: Our
results suggest that the biceps muscle stiffness increases with increase in severity
of lymphedema. The biceps muscle stiffness measured by SWE could provide a
quantitative tool for following-up patients with BCRL.
Keywords
References
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Details
Primary Language
English
Subjects
Clinical Sciences
Journal Section
Research Article
Publication Date
November 30, 2018
Submission Date
June 11, 2018
Acceptance Date
August 8, 2018
Published in Issue
Year 2018 Volume: 3 Number: 3