Table 2 Characteristics of the included studies
From: Does the ultrasound imaging predict lower limb tendinopathy in athletes: a systematic review
Study design | Participant’s demographics | Population | Tendon | Parameter examined | Structural change under the US | US imaging and follow up | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Prospective cohort study | n = 73 M 26.8 ± 4.8 years (Range N/A) | Elite basketball players | Patella | Thickness, Hypoechogenicity | Abnormal:1) hypoechoic areas 2) increased thickness. | US: Initial and follow-up | [9] |
Prospective cohort study | n = 104 M (age:< 18 years) | Distance runners | Patellar and Achilles | Thickness Hypoechogenicity Vascularity Tendon clefts Intratendinous calcifications | Abnormal: the presence of 1) hypoechogenicity,2) intratendinous delamination (3) paratenon blurring [10],4) calcification, and 5) tendon thickening | US: Initial and follow-up (1,3,6& 12 mon.) | [11] |
Prospective cohort study | n = 61(23 M/34F) (range 11–18) | elite ballet dancers | Patellar | Hypoechogenicity | Abnormal: hypoechoic area on greyscale ultrasound for 2 or more time points | US: Initial and 6-monthly Follow-up: 2 y | [12] |
Cohort study | n = 41 (30 M/11F) Mean age 17.2(range 16–18) | Elite junior volleyball players | Patellar | Hypoechogenicity | Abnormal: Presence of Hypoechogenicity (undefined). | US: Initial and follow-up | [7] |
Cohort study | n = 158 (84 M/74F) Mean age 17(Range N/A) | Elite junior volleyball players | Patellar | Thickness Hypoechogenicity Vascularity | Abnormal: Presence of (1) Hypoechogenicity (undefined), or (2) increased vascularity (≥stage 2) as defined by Gisslen et al. (2007) | US: Initial and 6-monthly Follow-up: 4 y (average: 1.7 y) | [8] |
Cohort study | n = 41 (25 M/16F) Mean age 37.25 | Marathon runners | Achilles | Thickness Hypoechogenicity Vascularity | Abnormal: Presence of (1) increased tendon thickness (undefined), or (2) Hypoechogenicity (≥grade 2) according to a defined three-point scale (grade 1–3), or (3) vascularity (≥grade 2) according to a defined three-point scale (grade 1–3) | US: Initial (pre-race 1 wk) and 3 d post-race Follow-up: 10 d | [13] |
Cohort study | n = 37 (15 M/22F) Mean age 27.2 [11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31] | Elite fencers | Achilles and patellar | Thickness Hypoechogenicity Vascularity | Abnormal: Presence of (1) increased thickness (undefined), or (2) Hypoechogenicity (undefined), or (3) increased vascularity (≥stage 2) as defined by Gisslen et al | US: Initial and follow-up: Average 3y | [16] |
Cohort study | n = 79 (35 M/44F) Mean age 27.4 [10,11,12,13, 16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,34] | Professional Ballet dancers | Achilles and patellar | Thickness Hypoechogenicity Vascularity Tendon clefts Intratendinous calcifications | Abnormal: Presence of (1) Hypoechogenicity, or (2) increased thickness, or (3) vascularity, or (4) intratendinous calcifications (all undefined) | US: Initial visit Follow-up: 24 mo. | [20] |
cohort study | N = 86 (56 M, 30 F) Mean age: 21.7 (range N/A) | Badminton | Achilles patellar Quadriceps. | Vascularity | Abnormal: Presence of increased vascularity (≥grade 1) according to a defined six-point scale (grade 0–5). | US: Initial and follow-up: 8 mo. | [17] |
Cohort study | n = 634 (425 M/209F) Mean age 41.2(17–73) | Long-distance runners | Achilles | Thickness Hypoechogenicity Vascularity | Abnormal: Presence of (1) increased thickness (undefined), (2) Hypoechogenicity (undefined), or (3) presence of vascularity according to a defined five-point scale. | US: Initial visit Follow-up: 12 mo. | [19] |
cohort study | n = 18 M (Mean age 23.5(22–27.5) | Elite soccer players | Achilles | Thickness Hypoechogenicity Vascularity | Abnormal: Presence of (1) increased thickness > 1 mm, or (2) Hypoechogenicity > 1 mm, or (3) paratenon blurring, or (4) vascularity (undefined). | US: Initial visit Follow-up: 12 mo. | [35] |
Cohort study | n = 58 (36 M/22F) (range N/A) | Elite and recreational volleyball players | patellar | Thickness Hypoechogenicity Vascularity | Abnormal: Presence of (1) increased thickness (undefined), (2) Hypoechogenicity (undefined), or (3) vascularity of at least one vessel in the sagittal plane > 1 mm in length. | US: Initial and monthly Follow-up: 5 mo. | [36] |
RCT | n = 207 M (Mean age 25) | Professional soccer players | Achilles and patellar | Thickness Hypoechogenicity | Abnormal: Presence of (1) thickness > 0.5 mm in the Achilles and patellar tendon, or (2) Hypoechogenicity > 0.5 mm in the Achilles tendon and > 1 mm in the patellar tendon. | US: Initial and follow-up: 12 mo | [15] |
Cohort study | N = 22 (11 M, 11 F) Mean age: 16.3 (15–16 at start) | Elite junior volleyball players | Patellar | Thickness Hypoechogenicity Vascularity | Abnormal: Presence of (1) increased thickness (undefined), or (2) Hypoechogenicity (undefined), or (3) vascularity (≥stage 2) to a defined four-point scale (grade 0–3) | US: Initial, regular intervals and follow-up (6 total) Follow-up: 3 y | [37] |
cohort study | N = 60 (29 M, 31 F) Mean age: 17.2 [11, 14,15,16, 35] | Junior volleyball players | Patellar | Thickness Hypoechogenicity Vascularity | Abnormal: Presence of (1) increased thickness (undefined), or (2) Hypoechogenicity (undefined), or (3) vascularity (≥stage 2) according to a defined four-point scale (grade 0–3) | US: Initial and follow-up: 7 mo | [38] |
Cohort study | n = 45 (27 M/18F) Mean age 42 | Patients from a university sports medicine center | Achilles | Thickness Hypoechogenicity Vascularity | Abnormal: Presence of (1) increased thickness > 6 mm, or (2) Hypoechogenicity (undefined) Presence of the above features were graded according to a defined three-point scale. | US: Initial & 12 mo. Follow-up: 24 mo. | [18] |
Cohort study | n = 54 M (Age range 18–35) | Professional soccer players | Achilles and patellar | Thickness Hypoechogenicity | Abnormal: Presence of (1) thickening > 1 mm, or (2) Hypoechogenicity > 1 mm. | US: Initial and follow-up: 12 mo | [14] |
Cohort study | n = 24 M (Mean age 27.5 [10,11,12,13, 16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,34] | Athletes from various sports: basketball, cricket, netball, and Australian rules football | Patellar | Thickness Hypoechogenicity | Abnormal: Presence of (1) thickness, or (2) Hypoechogenicity (all undefined) | US: Initial and follow-up: 47.1 mo. (32 = 80 mo. | [39] |
Cohort study | n = 26 (8 M/18F) Age range 14–18 | Elite Junior basketball | Patellar | Thickness Hypoechogenicity | Abnormal: Presence of (1) thickness, or (2) Hypoechogenicity (all undefined). | US: Initial & follow-up Follow-up: 16 mo (12–24 mo | [40] |
Prospective cohort study | n = 138 Males Mean age (36.2 ± 12.0 years | Recreational half-marathon and full-marathon runners. | Achilles and patellar | Thickness Hypoechogenicity | Abnormal: Presence of (1) thickness, or (2) Hypoechogenicity. | US: Initial and follow-up: 12 mo | [17] |