Purpose: This study aimed to comprehensively evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of various ultrasound techniques(grayscale ultrasonography, color Doppler ultrasonography, power Doppler ultrasonography, and strain elastography), and specific sonographic ...
Purpose: This study aimed to comprehensively evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of various ultrasound techniques(grayscale ultrasonography, color Doppler ultrasonography, power Doppler ultrasonography, and strain elastography), and specific sonographic findings for lateral epicondylalgia through meta-analysis and subgroup analysis, with the goal of establishing standardized diagnostic criteria.
Methods: 6 databases were systematically searched for studies published up to April 15, 2025, including cross sectional studies, randomized controlled trials, prospective and retrospective observational studies, and case control studies. Study quality was assessed using the QUADAS-2 and STARD tools. Pooled estimates of diagnostic accuracy were calculated through metaanalysis.
Results: A total of 37 studies were included. Among the ultrasound techniques, strain elastography demonstrated the highest pooled sensitivity and specificity at 0.917(95% CI: 0.751, 0.976) and 0.849(95% CI: 0.768, 0.905), respectively. Regarding sonographic findings, hypoechogenicity showed a sensitivity of 0.769(95% CI: 0.614, 0.875) and specificity of 0.919(95% CI: 0.856, 0.956), while tendon thickening demonstrated a sensitivity of 0.742(95% CI: 0.537, 0.877) and specificity of 0.933(95% CI: 0.770, 0.983), both indicating relatively high diagnostic accuracy compared with other findings.
Conclusions: Based on the meta-analysis, strain elastography is recommended as a primary modality for both screening and confirmatory diagnosis of lateral epicondylalgia. Additionally, hypoechogenicity and tendon thickening should be prioritized over other sonographic findings during ultrasound evaluation.