Real-time ultrasonography in neuromuscular problems in children

Ultrasound imaging of 20 cases of progressive muscular dystrophy and 10 cases of suspected infantile spinal muscular atrophy in children was performed by us, as a double-blind plot study matched against 25 controls. Open muscle biopsy was restricted to the muscular dystrophy group. The ultrasonographic findings were correlated with parameters such as functional disability of muscle and muscle biopsy features in the dystrophy group. It was interesting to observe that the muscle echogram was abnormal in both types of neuromuscular problems, the controls giving a normal muscle echogram. Ultrasonography was helpful in detection of unequivocal changes in our cases with mild clinical disability. It had a close correlation with changes in gross muscle architecture, as seen on muscle biopsy.