Musculoskeletal Ultrasound in Patients With Hematologic Malignancies

August 21, 2026 updated by: Riham Abdelbaset Dawy Maghazy, Assiut University

Musculoskeletal Ultrasonographic Findings in Patients With Hematologic Malignancies: A Diagnostic Imaging Study Protocol

This study evaluates the role and diagnostic value of musculoskeletal ultrasonography (MSUS) in adult patients with hematologic malignancies who present with musculoskeletal symptoms.

Hematologic malignancies (such as leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma) frequently involve the musculoskeletal system through bone marrow infiltration, bone destruction, or soft-tissue lesions. Musculoskeletal ultrasound is a non-invasive, radiation-free, and high-resolution imaging technique that allows real-time evaluation of joints, muscles, tendons, bursae, and superficial bone changes.

In this study, adult participants with confirmed blood cancers presenting with symptoms such as localized bone pain, joint swelling, muscle pain, or soft-tissue swelling will undergo a dedicated ultrasound examination of symptomatic areas. The study aims to characterize the patterns of musculoskeletal involvement (including cortical breaks, periosteal changes, soft-tissue masses, synovitis, and vascularity on Doppler imaging) and determine how these findings correlate with disease type, clinical presentation, and laboratory parameters.

Study Overview

Status

Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment (Estimated)

50

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

N/A

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Adult patients aged 18 years or older with a confirmed diagnosis of hematologic malignancy (leukemia, lymphoma, or multiple myeloma) established by bone marrow examination, histopathology, and/or immunophenotyping, identified through the Clinical Hematology Unit registry at Assiut University Hospital, who present with musculoskeletal symptoms and undergo musculoskeletal ultrasound evaluation.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Adult patients (aged 18 years or older) with a confirmed diagnosis of hematologic malignancy (leukemia, lymphoma, or multiple myeloma) established by bone marrow examination, histopathology, and/or immunophenotyping.
  • Patients presenting with musculoskeletal symptoms and undergoing musculoskeletal ultrasonography for the assessment of musculoskeletal involvement at diagnosis or during follow-up.
  • Patients willing and able to provide written informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patients with a prior or concurrent solid organ malignancy with known skeletal metastasis.
  • Patients with a history of major musculoskeletal trauma, orthopedic surgery, or active musculoskeletal infection affecting the examined region.
  • Patients with other connective tissue diseases (e.g., systemic lupus erythematosus, systemic sclerosis).
  • Patients with other inflammatory arthropathies (e.g., psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, reactive arthritis).
  • Patients with incomplete clinical, laboratory, or follow-up data.
  • Patients who decline to participate or withdraw consent.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Patients with Hematologic Malignancies
Adult patients (aged 18 years or older) with a confirmed diagnosis of hematologic malignancy (leukemia, lymphoma, or multiple myeloma) who present with musculoskeletal symptoms (e.g., bone pain, joint pain/swelling, muscle pain, soft-tissue swelling, limitation of movement, or functional impairment) and undergo diagnostic musculoskeletal ultrasonography (MSK-US) with grayscale B-mode and color/power Doppler imaging to evaluate musculoskeletal involvement.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Percentage of Participants with Abnormal Musculoskeletal Ultrasonographic Findings
Time Frame: Baseline
The percentage of participants exhibiting at least one abnormal sonographic finding on B-mode and color/power Doppler musculoskeletal ultrasound in symptomatic regions. Abnormal findings include cortical breaks/erosions, periosteal elevation/subperiosteal collections, focal soft-tissue or intramuscular masses/infiltrative lesions, joint effusion, synovial thickening/hypertrophy, tenosynovitis, or increased Doppler flow vascularity.
Baseline

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Assiut University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

September 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

September 1, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

October 1, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

August 21, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 21, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

August 25, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

August 25, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 21, 2026

Last Verified

August 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • MSK Ultrasound in Blood Cancer

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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