Age-related structural and functional changes of low back muscles

This work analyzes load-induced metabolic, vascular and T2 changes in low back muscles of healthy, young and late-middle-aged subjects by combining 31P-CSI, T2- and diffusion-weighted MRI. In addition anatomic MRI was applied to determine age-related changes in muscle cross-sectional area and fat infiltration. Finally, derived parameters were compared to each other and showed some interesting associations that may provide new insights into muscle physiology during healthy aging.