Ultrasound and Shear Wave Elastography in Cancer Patients: Exploring Soft Tissue Changes and Their Relationship to Shoulder and Pain Symptoms and Patient Functioning

Summary

In this research, we will use ultrasound and shear wave elastography to map changes in soft tissues in cancer patients and identify how these changes relate to self-reported shoulder and pain complaints. By combining these imaging techniques, we aim to gain a better understanding of how alterations in soft tissue affect patient functioning and overall well-being.

The project consists of two main objectives. The first focuses on determining the reliability of ultrasound and shear wave elastography and examining how these methods correlate with other measurement techniques across different cancer populations. This includes conducting a systematic literature review on the reliability and validity of shear wave elastography for assessing pectoralis stiffness in healthy individuals, as well as reliability studies in breast cancer survivors and in patients with head, neck, and throat cancer.

The second objective aims to explore the relationship between soft tissue changes and self-reported symptoms. We will investigate differences in tissue properties among breast cancer survivors with and without shoulder complaints compared to healthy controls, examine how muscle stiffness relates to perceived fibrosis symptoms and their progression over time in the head, neck, and throat cancer population, and evaluate whether self-reported scar quality aligns with objectively measured scar properties.

Through this research, we hope to provide new insights into the connection between soft tissue changes and cancer-related pain and dysfunction, ultimately contributing to improved assessment and rehabilitation strategies in oncology care.

Theme(s): Pain, Upper limb, Oncology, Assessment