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. 2007 Jul;17(7):509-16.
doi: 10.1016/j.nmd.2007.03.008. Epub 2007 May 29.

Quantitative skeletal muscle ultrasound: diagnostic value in childhood neuromuscular disease

S Pillen  1 , A Verrips, N van Alfen, I M P Arts, L T L Sie, M J Zwarts
Affiliations

Quantitative skeletal muscle ultrasound: diagnostic value in childhood neuromuscular disease

S Pillen et al. Neuromuscul Disord. 2007 Jul.

Abstract

In this study we investigated the diagnostic value of quantitative skeletal muscle ultrasonography in 150 consecutively referred children with symptoms suspect for a neuromuscular disorder. Muscle thickness and quantitatively determined echo intensity of four muscles and the distribution of these variables within the body were examined.

Results: Patients with and without a neuromuscular disorder could be discriminated with a positive predictive value of 91% and a negative predictive value of 86%. Patients with a neurogenic disorder could be distinguished from myopathies and non-neuromuscular disorders with a positive predictive value of 86% and a negative predictive of 84%, using the pattern of distribution of pathology within the body.

Conclusions: Skeletal muscle ultrasound is a good, practical and non-invasive aid in the diagnosis of neuromuscular disorders in children, that is able to discriminate between children with and without a neuromuscular disorder and between neurogenic disorders and myopathies with high predictive values.

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