Ultrasound has become popular among rheumatologists as the first-choice imaging investigation for the evaluation and monitoring of osteoarthritis (OA). Because of recent improvement in technology, ultrasound has the ability to demonstrate and assess the minimal structural abnormalities, which involve the pathophysiology and progression of OA, such as articular cartilage, synovial tissue, bony cortex, and other soft tissue. Nowadays, ultrasonography is a promising technique for assessing soft tissue abnormalities such as joint effusion, synovial hypertrophy, Baker cyst, and other structural changes including the decrease in cartilage thickness, meniscus bulging, and formation of osteophyte. Ultrasonography not only possesses diagnostic potential in knee OA but also reveals long-term predictability for disease progress as imaging biomarker. Ultrasonography has also been proven as a useful tool in guiding therapeutic interventions and monitoring treatment effectiveness. This review addresses the utility, reliability, and potential utilization of ultrasonography as an imaging technique in knee OA.

Secondary osteoporosis is an important co-morbidity related to inflammatory rheumatic diseases that is attributed to several factors including inflammatory cytokines, inactivity and glucocorticoid treatment.Quantitative ultrasound (QUS) has been utilized in osteoporosis research due to its detectability of bone density as well as bone quality. The current narrative review is to address the potential utilities of QUS in secondary osteoporosis of inflammatory rheumatic diseases, focusing on the clinical aspects of QUS in these diseases, based on the conformity of QUS with dual emission X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), the relationship with disease characteristics, and its capability of fracture prediction. Although limited data demonstrate that QUS had moderate to strong correlation with DXA, and might be useful as a potential imaging tool to screen for osteoporosis, further research is still required for QUS to be utilized effectively for the best outcome in these patients with rheumatic diseases.

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Spasticity is a common complaint in patients with spinal cord injury. Clinically, spasticity is characterized by increased muscle tone, exaggerated tendon reflex, frequent muscle spasm and clonus. We report a case of worsening spasticity in a patient with incomplete cervical spinal cord injury (ASIA B) as a consequence to urinary tract infection. The initial baclofen dose of 5 mg/dose three times per day was increased to 15 mg/dose three times/day with dosage increment at 3-day intervals by 15 mg (5 mg/dose). Marked weakness and vertigo was reported. He continued to suffer from severe spasms and trunk tightness that limited his daily activities and induced intolerable pain. The Modified Ashworth Score was increased from 1+ initially to 3, and the Pen Spasm frequency Score deteriorated from initial 1 to 3. After eradication of urinary tract infection with ciprofloxacin, spasticity did not improve, and so was administered with high-frequency transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation at the parameters of frequency 100 Hz, pulse-width 0.2 millisecond, intensity 15 mA for the duration of 60 minutes for 3 weeks, coupling with routine physical therapy. After 3 week of TENS therapy, final Modified Ashworth Score reduced to 1+ , and Final Penn Spasm frequency Score was decreased to 2 with much improved quality of life. We also discuss the role of coupling transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation with physical therapy in spinal spasticity.