ULTRASOUND EVALUATION OF MUSCLE ARCHITECTURE IN CHILDREN WITH MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW

Abstract

Muscular dystrophies are a heterogeneous group of inherited neuromuscular disorders characterized by progressive muscle weakness and degeneration. Early diagnosis and continuous monitoring are essential for optimizing clinical management, especially in children. Muscle ultrasound has emerged as a valuable, non-invasive imaging modality for evaluating muscle architecture and pathology. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the role of ultrasound in assessing muscle architecture in pediatric muscular dystrophy, including principles of imaging, normal and pathological muscle characteristics, disease-specific ultrasound findings, quantitative techniques, advantages, limitations, and future perspectives.
The growing use of ultrasound offers significant potential for early diagnosis, disease monitoring, and assessment of therapeutic response in children with muscular dystrophy.