Supplementary file 1_Multicenter study on ultrasound characteristics of acupoints in the Hand Yangming Meridian and related factors.pdf

Objective<p>To investigate sonographic characteristics and influencing factors of Hegu (LI 4), Xialian (LI 8) and Shousanli (LI 10) on the Hand-Yangming Large Intestine Meridian via multimodal ultrasonography.</p>Methods<p>In total of 110 healthy volunteers were recruited across multiple centers, with standardized localization of Hegu(HG, LI 4), Xialian(XL, LI 8) andshousanli(SSL, LI 10) performed. Grayscale ultrasonography, color Doppler flow imaging and shear wave elastography were used for ultrasonic data acquisition.

Needle tip depth, acupoint-bone adjacent distance, tissue composition, blood perfusion and biomechanical properties at acupoints were quantitatively detected.</p>Results<p>Baseline information and observational indices were consistent among research centers (P > 0.05). No correlations were identified between acupoint ultrasonic parameters and volunteers' baseline characteristics (P > 0.05). The median skin depth and mid-radius distance were 1.72 cm (1.38, 1.96 cm) and 0.93 cm (0.63, 1.24 cm) for LI 4; 1.64 cm (1.36, 1.95 cm) and 0.43 cm (0.29, 0.60 cm) for LI 8 1.75 cm (1.51, 2.14 cm) and 0.66 cm (0.45, 0.84 cm) for LI 10.