The EFSUMB Guidelines and Recommendations for Musculoskeletal Ultrasound – Part I: Extraarticular Pathologies
Daniela Fodor, S. C. Rodriguez-García, Vito Cantisani, Hilde Berner Hammer, Wolfgang Hartung, Andrea Klauser, Carlo Martinoli, Lene Terslev, Fernando Alfageme, David Bong, Angel Bueno, Paz Collado, Maria Antonietta D’Agostino, Javier de la Fuente, Gabriella Iohom, Jens Keßler, Manuela Lenghel, Clara Malattia, Péter Mandl, Dolores Mendoza‐Cembranos, Mihaela Micu, Ingrid Möller, Aurélie Najm, Levent Özçakar, Riccardo Picasso, Athena Plagou, Xavier Sala‐Blanch, Luca Maria Sconfienza, Oana Şerban, Paolo Simoni, Iwona Sudoł‐Szopińska, Christian Tesch, Plamen Todorov, Jacqueline Usón, Violeta Vlad, Federico Zaottini, Diana Bilous, Roxana Ioana Gutiu, Michael Andrei Pelea, Anamaria Marian, Esperanza Naredo
Abstract
The first part of the guidelines and recommendations for musculoskeletal ultrasound, produced under the auspices of the European Federation of Societies for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology (EFSUMB), provides information about the use of musculoskeletal ultrasound for assessing extraarticular structures (muscles, tendons, entheses, ligaments, bones, bursae, fasciae, nerves, skin, subcutaneous tissues, and nails) and their pathologies. Clinical applications, practical points, limitations, and artifacts are described and discussed for every structure. After an extensive literature review, the recommendations have been developed according to the Oxford Centre for Evidence-based Medicine and GRADE criteria and the consensus level was established through a Delphi process. The document is intended to guide clinical users in their daily practice.