Validity & Reliability of Using Musculoskeletal Ultrasound to Measure Cervical Disc Height.
Jeffrey Thompson, Jean-Michel Brismée, Phillip Page and 3 others
PMID 40620396WHAT IT FOUND
Musculoskeletal ultrasound measured cervical disc height with good to excellent reliability and validity compared to MRI in healthy young adults.
Ultrasound readings averaged slightly lower than MRI, but the difference fell within expected measurement error. This supports ultrasound as a safe, accessible tool for research and clinical assessment.
Key findings
01Inter-rater reliability for ultrasound measurements ranged from 0.75 to 0.95, and intra-rater reliability correlations ranged from 0.825 to 0.934.
02There were no significant differences between ultrasound and MRI measurements at any cervical segment, with ultrasound showing an average underestimation of 0.10 mm (2.2%) that was smaller than the standard error of measurement.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study population consisted only of healthy, young adults (18-49 years) with low BMI and small necks. Results may not apply to older adults, those with obesity, muscular necks, or existing cervical pathologies. The measurement protocol required strict control of variables, including specific timing (morning), prolonged supine rest, and extensive training. This complexity may limit its immediate adoption in busy clinical settings. The study measured anterior disc height only. It did not validate measurements of the posterior disc or other spinal structures.
Declared interests
There was no funding or conflicts of interest for this study.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume this protocol works immediately on patients with neck pain, obesity, or large necks. The validation was performed on healthy, young, lean volunteers in a highly controlled setting with extensive practitioner training.