Pictorial Essay on Ultrasound and Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Paraspinal Muscles for Myofascial Pain Syndrome
Chen-Yu Hung,
Bow Wang,
Hsiang-Chi Chang,
Wei-Ting Wu,
Ping-Tang Liu,
Ke-Vin Chang,
Daniel Chiung-Jui Su,
Kamal Mezian,
Vincenzo Ricci,
Levent Özçakar
Affiliations
Chen-Yu Hung
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, National Taiwan University Hospital, Bei-Hu Branch, Taipei 10845, Taiwan
Bow Wang
Department of Medical Imaging, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 704302, Taiwan
Hsiang-Chi Chang
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Taipei Hospital, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taipei 24213, Taiwan
Wei-Ting Wu
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, National Taiwan University Hospital, Bei-Hu Branch, Taipei 10845, Taiwan
Ping-Tang Liu
Jolly Clinics, Kaohsiung 80232, Taiwan
Ke-Vin Chang
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, National Taiwan University Hospital, Bei-Hu Branch, Taipei 10845, Taiwan
Daniel Chiung-Jui Su
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Chi-Mei Medical Center, Tainan 71004, Taiwan
Kamal Mezian
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, First Faculty of Medicine and General University Hospital in Prague, Charles University, 12800 Prague, Czech Republic
Vincenzo Ricci
Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine Unit, Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Science, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico Rizzoli Orthopedic Institute, 40136 Bologna, Italy
Levent Özçakar
Department of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, Hacettepe University Medical School, Ankara 06100, Turkey
The paraspinal muscles of the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine are important pain generators because muscle strains or myofascial pain syndrome caused by trigger points are common during clinical practice. Ultrasonography is the most convenient imaging tool for evaluating these muscles due to its advantages, such as providing good delineation of soft tissues, easy accessibility, and zero radiation. Additionally, ultrasound can serve as a useful guiding tool for paraspinal muscle intervention to prevent inadvertent injuries to vital axial neurovascular structures. This pictorial essay presents ultrasound scanning protocols for the paraspinal and other associated muscles as well as a discussion of their clinical relevance. Axial magnetic resonance imaging has also been used to elucidate reciprocal anatomy. In conclusion, ultrasound imaging proves to be a valuable tool that facilitates the differentiation of individual paraspinal muscles. This capability significantly enhances the precision of interventions designed to address myofascial pain syndrome.
