Elastography in musculoskeletal imaging: A tool or a toy?

ABSTRACT

Elastography is a novel imaging technique based on ultrasound that evaluates the deformability of tissues to help characterize lesions. It is widely used and has been validated in many tissues (e.g., liver, breast, thyroid). It is also used in the study of musculoskeletal disease. Although the use of elastography in musculoskeletal radiology is limited by the variability and heterogeneity of tissues, it is a very promising technique. In this article, we aim to review the usefulness, possible indications, limitations, and future perspectives of this technique in musculoskeletal radiology.