Ultrasound in inflammatory muscle disease
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Development of a novel machine learning ultrasound imaging technique to identify and quantify skeletal muscle disease in real time
IRAS ID
200219
Contact name
Ian Loram
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Manchester Metropolitan University
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 6 months, 1 days
Research summary
Inflammatory myopathies are disorders where inflammation occurs in muscle tissue, causing disabling weakness. Taking a sample of muscle (muscle biopsy) is the best way to diagnose these conditions, but this cannot be repeated to see how people respond to treatments. \n\nUltrasound is a technique which can show pictures of muscle and is quick and non-invasive. Current ways of using ultrasound in muscle disorders depend on the person doing the scan for results so may not be very accurate. We have developed a new way of using ultrasound where a computer can learn to recognize patterns of the images by itself. This means that we can pick up differences in ultrasound information without a person having to look at the images. We want to test whether the computer can pick out differences on the ultrasound between people with and without inflammatory muscle diseases.\n\nWe will recruit 25 people with inflammatory muscle disease and 25 healthy control participants. People with muscle disease will have had a sample of muscle taken in the clinic (biopsy) to prove they have the condition. We will examine them for signs of muscle disease and the level of weakness. We will then measure leg movements using a special device while continuing to scan the leg muscles using ultrasound. The assessments will be done at Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust and Manchester Metropolitan University, and would usually involve attending on two occasions.\n
REC name
North West - Liverpool Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/NW/0760
Date of REC Opinion
18 Oct 2016
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion