Ultrasonography in the diagnosis and follow-up of idiopathic inflammatory myopathies--a preliminary study.

Objective: To study the utility of ultrasonography (US) in diagnosis and follow up of patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathy (IIM).

Methods: High-resolution US of thigh muscles was recorded at baseline and after six months of treatment in eleven patients of early, active, untreated IIM. Parameters studied were muscle power, timed function tests (TFT), muscle enzymes, electromyography, muscle histopathology and US parameters such as echogenicity of muscle and perimysial septa count per 1 cm muscle width.