Self-Assessment: Muscle US: Quantitative Assessment & Patterns of Muscle Involvement | Gait Analysis & Orthotics for NMDs-Muscle US: Quantitative Assessment & Patterns of Muscle Involvement: Session recording

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Video Summary

The 2024 AANEM Annual Meeting featured a comprehensive session on muscle ultrasound led by Adam Comer from Indiana University School of Medicine. Comer covered various aspects of muscle ultrasound, including both normal and abnormal muscle appearances, differentiating between neurogenic and myopathic muscle, and utilizing tools like the HECMAT rating scale. The session highlighted techniques for assessing muscle attributes such as grayscale analysis, thickness, and atrophy, supplemented by case studies and discussions on patterns of muscle involvement.<br /><br />Comer elaborated on the history and technological advancements in muscle ultrasound, emphasizing its value as a complementary tool to neurological examinations and electrodiagnostic testing. Its advantages include being portable, safe, and low-cost. He explained the ultrasound's capability to provide a wide view of muscle tissue compared to electromyography (EMG), which samples smaller areas.<br /><br />Several cases highlighted the application of muscle ultrasound, illustrating its role in diagnosing conditions like Duchenne muscular dystrophy by identifying characteristic changes such as hyperechogenicity and muscle replacement by fat. The session further discussed quantitative methods like grayscale analysis, asserting the importance of consistency in machine parameters and the necessity for user-lab generated reference values.<br /><br />Future directions included the potential integration of AI and deep learning techniques to automate the identification of regions of interest in muscle ultrasound, improving diagnostic accuracy and expanding the utility of ultrasound in clinical practice. Co-presenter Dr. James Meiling also addressed the incorporation of ultrasound in the EMG lab, especially for less commonly examined muscles, enhancing diagnostic precision through case-based examples focusing on congenital muscle variations and pediatric applications.

Keywords

AANEM Annual Meeting

muscle ultrasound

Adam Comer

neurogenic vs myopathic

HECMAT rating scale

grayscale analysis

muscle atrophy

technological advancements

Duchenne muscular dystrophy

AI and deep learning

diagnostic precision