Análise morfométrica de tecido muscular de coelhos submetido a ultra-som pulsado e contínuo de 1 MHz I

Abstract

In order to seek a relation between applied ultrasound (US) and variation of muscle cell area, this study analysed the effects of 1 MHz US, in pulsed and continuous mode, at the maximum intensity of 3 W/cm2, in healthy muscle tissue of adult male rabbits' (Oryctolagus Cuniculus) vast lateral muscle. Rabbits' left thighs were tested in the experiment, the right ones being taken as control. Two groups of 5 rabbits each were formed, one for pulsed U S and the other for continuous US. In both groups were applied 10 consecutive sessions of 1 MHz US with intensity of 3 W/cm2 during 12 minutes. At the end of the 10 sessions the rabbits were sacrificed and both thighs lateral muscles were excised, prepared and fixed to slides for microscopic analysis of the cells area. Ten cells were considered at each slide sector (upper, lower, right and left), thus a total of 40 cells were analysed from each thigh. The mean area of cells for each slide sector was compared to control thigh cells area by means of t-Student test. No statistical I ly significant differences were found between the two sides in both groups, leading to the conclusion that, with the described methodology, US does not produce any effect in the cell size of rabbits healthy muscles.