Relationship between sonography of sternocleidomastoid muscle and cervical passive range of motion in infants with congenital muscular torticollis

BACKGROUND: An abnormal sternocleidomastoid muscle in congenital muscular torticollis can be classified into one of the four types via sonography. However, this categorization lacks quantitative measurements. The purpose of the study was to determine quantitative measurements of the sonograms via image analysis. METHODS: Infants younger than 12 months of age suspected of having congenital muscular torticollis were included. Intraclass correlation coefficient estimates for interobserver reliability and a simple regression analysis for criterion validity were calculated. Spearman correlation analysis was then performed. The analyzed parameters included cervical passive range of motion for lateral flexion and rotation, area, brightness, max/min Feret's diameters, and muscular width/thickness. RESULTS: Of the 29 (4.0 ± 2.6 months) screened infants, 13 (1.9 ± 1.7 months) were included. Nine were male, and 4 were female. Seven infants with mass were ultrasonographically classified into type I, and the other six infants were classified into type II. The affected/unaffected side ratios of cervical passive range of motion for lateral flexion and rotation were 0.92 ± 0.13 and 0.88 ± 0.16, respectively. The parameters measured on the sonograms were reliable, and the max/min Feret's diameters were valid measurements. The affected/unaffected side ratio of cervical passive range of motion for rotation significantly correlated with the affected/unaffected side ratios of the sternocleidomastoid muscle sonogram on area (r = −0.62, p = 0.03) and min Feret's diameter (r = −0.69, p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The area and min Feret's diameter were efficacious parameters for image analysis on sternocleidomastoid sonograms, and the min Feret's diameter would be more suitable than thickness for measuring the thickening SCM in transverse view. A healthy control group, more data and follow-up would be needed to confirm the changes on the SCM sonograms for clinical decision.