What’s new in musculoskeletal ultrasound in pediatric rheumatology?

Abstract

Musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSUS) has become almost indispensable in the rheumatology settings nowadays, allowing early diagnosis, careful guidance during procedures such as joint injections and therapy monitoring. Nonetheless, the applicability of MSUS in pediatric population is still limited. Recently, a standardized MSUS examination procedure in pediatric patients with rheumatic diseases, definitions for synovitis and the sonographic features of joints in healthy children has been developed. Also, important data on age-related  vascularization and ossification of joints in children have been published. Much work still needs to be done in the field. As juvenile idiopathic arthritis seems to be the most common use of MSUS in pediatric rheumatology, specific definitions and assessment techniques for enthesitis, tenosynovitis, bone and cartilage damage in children are very much expected. In this article, we will review briefly the current evidence-based knowledge regarding MSUS potential applications in the pediatric rheumatology clinical practice, along with an overview of the recent information about US appearance of musculoskeletal structures in healthy children.