Mapping of ultrasonography methods and shoulder soft-tissue injury locations in patients with stroke: a scoping review

Abstract

Objective: To map studies that use ultrasonography to assess shoulder soft-tissue injuries in stroke survivors and identify the methods and soft-tissue injury locations. Design: Scoping review. Methods: A literature search was performed through PubMed and ICHUSI from 1966 to May 2023 using the terms “stroke”, “shoulder soft-tissue injury”, and “ultrasonography”. Original articles that used ultrasonography to evaluate shoulder soft-tissue injuries in patients with stroke were selected. Extracted data included study design, phase, sample size, ultrasonographic methods (probe, evaluation position, frequency, and assessment site), and soft-tissue injury location. Results: Among 249 articles identified, 10 met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. In ultrasonographic methods, over half the studies used linear transducer probes, evaluated participants in a sitting position, and applied frequencies of 5–7 MHz. Common assessment sites were the supraspinatus tendon, long head of the biceps tendon, subscapularis tendon, infraspinatus tendon, and subacromial-subdeltoid bursa. The most common locations of shoulder soft-tissue injuries were the long head of the biceps tendon (effusion/tendinitis) and the supraspinatus tendon (tear/tendinitis). Conclusion: This study identified ultrasonographic methods and hemiplegic shoulder soft-tissue injury locations. These findings may help facilitate evaluations and enable proper assessment of shoulder soft-tissue injuries in patients with stroke using ultrasonography in clinical practice.

Keywords

• shoulder soft-tissue injury
• stroke
• ultrasonography