Assessment of short-term effect of platelet-rich plasma treatment of tendinosis using texture analysis of ultrasound images
Article Category: Research Article
Published Online: Nov 30, 2023
Page range: 465 - 472
Received: Jun 14, 2023
Accepted: Aug 06, 2023
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/raon-2023-0054
Keywords
© 2023 Karlo Pintaric et al., published by Sciendo
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Background
Computer-aided diagnosis (
Patients and methods
Thirteen patients (7 male and 6 female, age 36–60 years, mean age 51.2 ± 5.2) were followed after US guided PRP treatment for tendinosis of two tendons (9 patients with lateral epicondylitis and 4 with supraspinatus tendinosis). Clinical and US assessment was performed prior to as well as 3 months after PRP treatment with validated clinical questionnaires. Tissue response in tendons was assessed by using gray level run length matrix method (GLRLM) of US images.
Results
All patients improved of tendinosis symptoms after PRP treatment according to clinical questionnaires. Almost all GLRLM features were statistically improved 3 months after PRP treatment. GLRLM-long run high gray level emphasis (LRLGLE) revealed the best moderate positive and statistically significant correlation after PRP (
Conclusions
Texture analysis of tendinosis US images was a useful quantitative method for the assessment of tendon remodeling after minimally invasive PRP treatment. GLRLM features have the potential to become useful imaging biomarkers to monitor spatial and time limited tissue response after PRP, however larger studies with similar protocols are needed.