ObjectiveTo explore the application value of shear wave elastography（SWE）in normal adult extraocular muscles

and to establish a reference range of the mean elastic value（Emean） of extraocular muscles in normal adults.MethodsA total of 121 healthy volunteers in our hospital were selected and divided into 51 cases aged 15～≤36 years

40 cases aged 36～≤57 years and 30 cases aged 57～78 years.Conventional ultrasound and SWE were used to detect and compare the thickness and Emean of extraocular muscle in each group

and the correlation between age

height

body weight

thickness of extraocular muscle and Emean were analyzed.Results In 121 normal adults

the Emean of superior rectus

inferior rectus

lateral rectus and medial rectus were（8.04±2.56）kPa

（8.14±2.61）kPa

（8.35±2.51）kPa and（8.39±2.63）kPa

respectively.There were no significant differences in Emean between the 4 extraocular muscles in normal adults.Except for the difference between the thickness of medial rectus and superior rectus

the difference in the thickness of the other extraocular muscles were not statistically significant.The Emean of the same extraocular muscle in different age groups were significantly different（all P<0.05）.Correlation analysis showed that age was highly positively correlated with Emean of superior rectus

inferior rectus

lateral rectus and medial rectus（r=0.991

0.991

0.986

0.984

all P<0.01）

and Emean increased with age.The thickness of the superior rectus

inferior rectus

lateral rectus

and medial rectus muscles were positively correlated with their corresponding Emean（r=0.311

0.282

0.329

0.479

all P<0.01）.Body weight was weakly correlated with Emean of superior rectus

inferior rectus

lateral rectus and medial rectus（r=0.229

0.231

0.224

0.227

all P<0.05）.Conclusion SWE can be uesed to quantitatively assess the hardness of extraocular muscles in normal adults.