Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 14, 2026

Diaphragmatic Ultrasound in Adults: Image Acquisition and Interpretation
Published on: January 31, 2025
Neuromuscular ultrasound for evaluation of the diaphragm
Aarti Sarwal1, Francis O Walker, Michael S Cartwright
1Department of Neurology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Reynolds M, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27157, USA. asarwal@wakehealth.edu
Abstract:
Neuromuscular clinicians are often asked to evaluate the diaphragm for diagnostic and prognostic purposes. Traditionally, this evaluation is accomplished through history, physical exam, fluoroscopic sniff test, nerve conduction studies, and electromyography (EMG). Nerve conduction studies and EMG in this setting are challenging, uncomfortable, and can cause serious complications, such as pneumothorax. Neuromuscular ultrasound has emerged as a non-invasive technique that can be used in the structural and functional assessment of the diaphragm. In this study we review different techniques for assessing the diaphragm using neuromuscular ultrasound and the application of these techniques to enhance diagnosis and prognosis by neuromuscular clinicians.
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