A Novel/Common Approach for Temporalis Muscle Thickness Measurement

A Novel/Common Approach for Temporalis Muscle Thickness Measurement: Reliability and Agreement Study

The aim of this study is to propose a new measurement point for temporal muscle thickness (TMT) that can be similarly localized in computerized tomography (CT) /magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasonography (USG), and to evaluate the reliability and consistency of these measurements.

Recently, temporal muscle thickness (TMT) has been proposed as a new marker of whole-body muscle function. In addition, TMT has been shown to be a useful parameter for estimating skeletal muscle mass. Measurement of temporal muscle mass with CT and MRI has been studied in the literature in recent years. All stroke patients undergo cranial CT or MRI examinations at the time of admission. However, the literature indicates that USG can also be used to measure temporal muscle thickness. The recommended measurement points for CT, MRI, or USG in the studies performed to date depend on the particular imaging modality, and it does not seem possible to use them interchangeably. The aim of this study is to propose a new TMT measurement point that can be localized in a similar way in CT /MRI and USG, and to evaluate the reliability and agreement of these measurements.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Referral to the radiology department for an MRI or CT scan

Exclusion Criteria:

• Medically unstable condition (presence or high risk of impaired consciousness, respiration, or circulation).
• Vulnerable populations (patients with a terminal illness, people living in nursing homes, unemployed or poor people, people in need of urgent medical care, children, people unable to consent, etc.).