Mapping of ultrasonography methods and shoulder soft-tissue injury locations in patients with stroke: a scoping review.
Masayuki Dogan, Daisuke Ito, Shota Watanabe and 2 others
PMID 40684386WHAT IT FOUND
Ultrasonography is rarely used to map shoulder soft-tissue injuries after stroke.
When it is, clinicians consistently use a linear probe at 5–7 MHz with the patient sitting. The most common findings are biceps tendon effusion and supraspinatus tears.
Key findings
01Only 10 studies were identified that used ultrasonography to assess shoulder soft-tissue injuries in stroke patients.
02The most common soft-tissue injury locations were the supraspinatus tendon and the long head of the biceps tendon.
03Assessment methods were generally consistent, with most studies using a linear transducer, a frequency of 5–7 MHz, and a sitting position.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
Only 10 studies were included, limiting the ability to draw strong conclusions about prevalence or standardized best practices. The search was restricted to English and Japanese publications and only two databases, increasing the risk of publication bias. The reliability and validity of ultrasonographic assessment for shoulder soft-tissue injuries in stroke patients have not been firmly established. Many studies did not report the specific transducer position or frequency, making it difficult to assess the true consistency of methods.
Declared interests
The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that ultrasonography is a validated or standard diagnostic tool for hemiplegic shoulder pain. This review shows it is rarely used in this specific population, and the reliability of the assessment for stroke patients remains undetermined.