Ultrasound shear-wave elastography for musculoskeletal injuries

Abstract

Greyscale and Doppler Ultrasound (US) are well established as first line imaging methods for the evaluation of musculoskeletal (MSK) injuries, often providing information comparable with that of magnetic resonance imaging (MR). However, early or minor injuries are often not detected by US. Ultrasound Elastography is proving helpful for the detection of injuries that are not detected by greyscale US and for monitoring healing of MSK injuries. US Elastography evaluates the elasticity of tissues, which changes in different tissue states. Inflammatory change, tears and even muscle contraction result in alterations of tissue elasticity that are detectible with US Elastography. There are several different US-related technologies that have been used to measure tissue elasticity. The two main methods that are found on many new ultrasound scanners are Compression Elastography and Shear-wave Elastography (SWE). However, the value of measuring tissue elasticity is hampered by its limited reproducibility. SWE has received most interest for the measurement of tissue elasticity because it appears to be the most reproducible technique.