Measuring Muscle Quality

            We have been taught that those with higher muscle mass and lower fat are inherently protected somehow from chronic disease, especially heart disease. But in my career as a cardiologist, I can tell you this is not always the case. Muscle quality matters just as much as muscle size.

           Data recently published in June 2026 in the journal Radiology proved just that.

          Researchers used 1722 CT scans of patients mostly aged in their 50s who presented with chest pain. They used AI to analyze the chest and torso muscles of these individuals and determine the density of the muscles in those areas. What they found was astounding.

         Over a 10-year follow-up period the persons with even one-point better density had a 31% less chance of heart attack and 39% less all cause mortality. This isn’t just more evidence supporting the power of exercise. Now we have a goal. To build, support and maintain the quality of our muscles for longevity.

         DEXA scans are great for measuring muscle size. They are the gold standard for determining body fat percentage and lean mass and are available without significant radiation making them preferred to other modalities. However, muscle quality determined by the density, or the amount of fat distributed inside the muscle, can be measured more accurately on CT or MRI. This is not done routinely outside of research settings because of the cost and radiation that is associated with these tests.

         The good news is there are other ways of measuring muscle quality, instead of using density as the definition, and these can be performed easier than CT or MRI.  Strength based testing, and testing of power, and functional testing can all be used to assess muscle quality as well. At Revive Longevity Center, we measure these with grip strength, isometric muscle strength, force deck assessments of muscular power generation and functional movement assessments. We’ve invested in the equipment needed to give you a baseline assessment of where your muscular health is currently and help you track it for the future.