Use of Shear Wave Elastography in Pediatric Musculoskeletal Disorders

Muscle shear-wave elastography (SWE) is an exciting and rapidly evolving ultrasound technique that allows quantification of muscle stiffness with a non-invasive, non-painful and non-irradiating examination. It has the potential of wider clinical use due to relatively low-cost, providing real-time measurement and, especially for the pediatric population, taking less time and sedation/anesthesia-free. Research indicate that muscle SWE shows promise as an adjunct clinical tool for differentiating between a normal and an abnormal muscle, monitoring the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions, altering the therapeutic intervention, or deciding treatment duration. This chapter will aim to provide an overview of the knowledge about the using of muscle SWE in common pediatric musculoskeletal disorders such as Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, Cerebral Palsy, Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis, and Congenital Muscular Torticollis in the light of current evidence.