Reviewing published articles on musculoskeletal ultrasound can keep you updated on the latest research and developments, identify areas for future research, and broaden your knowledge and understanding of the field. This can be helpful for clinical practice and continuing education.
Here are some of the most interesting articles in Februry 2023.
Lateral epicondylitis (LE) is a common and painful condition that doctors often treat with ultrasound-guided injections. These injections can help manage pain, promote healing, and plan rehabilitation. Different techniques can be used to target specific pain areas in the elbow. This article reviews these techniques and relevant clinical and sonographic features. It can serve as a practical guide for doctors performing ultrasound-guided interventions for lateral elbow pain.
Musculoskeletal ultrasound can detect various pathologies. This article, which is the second part of a series, presents commonly observed pathological conditions with accompanying figures and videos. The aim is to improve the learning experience of musculoskeletal sonographers. The videos will be available on the journal’s website.
Musculoskeletal ultrasound is becoming more popular in pediatric rheumatology for diagnosis and treatment. It offers advantages over MRI, including real-time dynamic assessment and evaluating multiple joints in one session. However, many imaging centers lack experience with MSK ultrasound in pediatric patients. It’s important for pediatric radiologists to understand the normal appearances of growing MSK structures to avoid misdiagnosis. This is because various factors, such as maturation of bones and complex anatomical locations, can create diagnostic difficulties. This article describes technical and interpretive challenges in using MSK ultrasound in pediatric patients.
Cervical myofascial pain is a common condition seen in musculoskeletal practice. Physical examination is used to identify myofascial trigger points, but ultrasound is increasingly used to precisely locate these points and evaluate muscle, fascial, and neural elements. Cervical myofascial pain can involve various potential pain generators beyond paraspinal muscles. This article extensively reviews the sonographic approach to diagnose and guide procedures for cervical myofascial pain in clinical practice.
In this case report, ultrasound helped diagnose the patient’s condition and identify a fibrous septum between tendons, which affects treatment options. The patient’s case is unique because he is a father, and typically only new mothers are at risk for this condition. This case suggests that more fathers may be at risk in the future as they become more involved in childcare.
Quadriceps muscle injury is common, particularly among athletes, making it difficult to determine the type and severity of the pathology. Musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSK-US) is a noninvasive diagnostic tool that can accurately diagnose and monitor muscle and tendon disorders, allowing for the development of effective treatment plans. MSK-US enables real-time visualization of affected structures, providing valuable insight into fluid dynamics around joints and detecting myotendinous tears that may be overlooked with clinical examination. Furthermore, MSK-US can distinguish between benign and potentially pathological findings and track the progress of physical therapy treatments. When used in combination with clinical tests, MSK-US significantly increases the accuracy of the examination and helps tailor rehabilitation plans more effectively.
Ultrasound imaging is now an essential tool for physicians in various specialties for examining the musculoskeletal system. It complements physical exams by providing detailed and dynamic images. Recently, the concept of combining traditional physical exams with static and dynamic ultrasound imaging has emerged. This study aimed to explore the current global research status of ultrasound examination in the musculoskeletal system, with a focus on identifying areas for future research. The study utilized bibliometric and visualized analysis to provide insights into the use and awareness of ultrasound examination in this field.