Possibilities of high-frequency Doppler ultrasound for differential diagnosis of spondylogenic muscle-tonic pain syndromes

Abstract

Changes in tissue perfusion parameters indicate not only a violation of systemic hemodynamics, but can also occur with local changes in the structure of the organ pathological process. Along with degenerative and dystrophic changes in the structures of the motor segment, muscle-tonic (myofascial) pains occur in a significant number of cases. The possibilities of instrumental assessment in case of local microcirculation disorders in skeletal muscle make it possible to diagnose key manifestations — to identify an area with low blood supply. Within the framework of the study, a limited area of reduced perfusion was established in myofascial pain syndrome. With the formation of a painful muscle knot, the parameter of the volumetric blood flow velocity (Qas) is 0.006±0.0005 cm³/min, while the comparison with the control points fixes the level of blood supply at 0.0046±0.0005 cm³/min (p<0.005). The method for assessing the volumetric blood flow rate in skeletal muscle allows reliably diagnosing the key symptom of myofascial syndrome — a painful muscle knot.