Ultrasound shear wave elastography - a reliable protocol for the assessment of the stiffness of the supraspinatus tendon.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The continued evolution of shear wave elastography (SWE) in the measurement of supraspinatus tendon stiffness can assist in both rehabilitation and surgical monitoring with the potential to improve patient outcomes. It can provide non-invasive, quantitative data of elastic properties of tendons which are altered in the presence of pathological change. This study evaluates the inter- and intra-rater reliability of a standardised SWE assessment protocol of the supraspinatus tendon.

Methods

Shear wave velocity (SWV, m/s) values of 52 healthy, asymptomatic supraspinatus tendons were recorded using SWE. Two raters scanned each tendon on two separate occasions, seven days apart, using a strict protocol.

Results

Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for inter-r

SUBMITTER: Black M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12436326 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature