Contrast-enhanced ultrasound in musculoskeletal diseases

Contrast-enhanced US (ultrasonography) can be used for the study of musculoskeletal diseases but this application still belongs to clinical research. Despite a theoretical value for the identification of microvascularity, the technical limitations of musculoskeletal US are challenging the use of contrast enhanced US. This can explain the slow development of this application and the reason why it remained limited to the assessment of Doppler signal intensity increase. However, the recent availability of real time contrast-enhanced US imaging and quantification data is very promising. The majority of published papers involves rheumatoid arthritis and demonstrates the value of this technique to improve diagnosis, stage the activity of the disease and follow the patients under therapy. These preliminary studies are extending to other disorders (inflammatory arthritides as well as degenerative disorders). Structures other than articular synovium are undergoing investigations (bone, enthesis). New applications are being developed such as contrast-enhanced US of muscular diseases. This new imaging technique appears to have great potentials for the assessment of musculoskeletal diseases.