Muscle ultrasound in the assessment of suspected neuromuscular disease in childhood

One hundred paediatric, muscle ultrasound examinations performed in the eva luation of suspected neuromuscular disease were reviewed. The results were related to the presence or absence of neuromuscular disease in each child a ssessed. The group comprised 66 males and 34 females, age range 2 months to 16 years (mean 5.3 years). Scans were graded I-IV, according to muscle ech ogenicity, using Heckmatt's criteria. Thirty-two children had a final diagn osis of neuromuscular disease. The sensitivity of ultrasound in detecting n euromuscular disease was 78% with 91% specificity. The test was more reliab le in the sub-group of >3 years with a sensitivity of 81% and specificity o f 96%. There was a significant difference in disease status, (with and with out neuromuscular disease), between children with a normal, grade I, scan a nd those with an abnormal, grade II, LII, TV, image (chi-square, P < 0.001, 95% confidence limits 0.54-0.86). Muscle ultrasound is a specific and sens itive investigation for suspected neuromuscular disease in children. (C) 19 99 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.