Imaging nerve and muscle with ultrasound

Over the last two decades significant advances in ultrasound have made it possible for investigators to image and interpret pathologic changes in muscle and nerve. In addition to being able to assess the pathologic changes in these structures themselves, ultrasound also provides the unique ability to identify anatomic lesions responsible for nerve or muscle injury. They can be correlated with changes in neural structures or affected muscles. Like electrodiagnostic studies, ultrasound is portable and inexpensive, but it is even less invasive, and surprisingly sensitive in detecting a variety of unusual and common causes of neuromuscular dysfunction. Given recent developments in the field, ultrasound shows promise as the technique most suitable for clinical neurophysiologists and neuromuscular clinicians in the growing field of imaging. Such involvement is required to best adopt and exploit the potential of imaging for the research and clinical evaluation of neuromuscular disorders.