Study suggests ultrasound scanning of thigh and shoulder muscles to detect insulin resistance

As per the World Health Organisation (WHO), the number of people living with diabetes rose from 200 million in 1990 to 830 million in 2022. The figures have been rapidly increasing and many are falling prey to this chronic disease, thanks to lifestyle changes and other underlying reasons. 

Diabetes occurs either when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces. The body produces a hormone called insulin, that regulates the blood glucose level. 

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A recent study suggests that ultrasound scanning of the thigh or shoulder muscle could help detect insulin resistance, a stage that precedes prediabetes. 

For the purpose of the study, ultrasounds of the muscles of 300 participants were analysed. It was observed that in the scans of the individuals with type 2 diabetes, their muscles appeared 'unusually bright' or 'muscle echo intensity', which suggests that the quality of muscle has changed due to increased fat.

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"We found it interesting that most of these patients (with bright ultrasound images) have type 2 diabetes. Seeing this pattern, we often thought, 'This patient must have diabetes'," said lead author Steven Soliman, director of the musculoskeletal radiology fellowship at the University of Michigan. 

Researchers mentioned that most of them were not aware of their condition till their bloodwork confirmed that they indeed had type 2 diabetes or prediabetes. 

Published in the Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine, the study underscores the potential of an ultrasound of muscles in predicting diabetes earlier than the current diagnostic methods. 

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