Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40715679›Full record

Trial reportEuropean radiology2026

Shear wave elastography to assess healing in lateral epicondylosis: randomized controlled trial with platelet-rich plasma.

Zachary Elijah Stewart, Quinn Steiner, Stephanie A Kliethermes, John Wilson, Kenneth S Lee

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in European radiology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Zachary Elijah StewartDepartment of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. zstewart@mgh.harvard.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0245-1270
Quinn SteinerDepartment of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine & Public Health, Madison, WI, USA.
Stephanie A KliethermesDepartment of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine & Public Health, Madison, WI, USA.
John WilsonDepartment of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine & Public Health, Madison, WI, USA.
Kenneth S LeeDepartment of Radiology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine & Public Health, Madison, WI, USA.

Funding

Radiological Society of North America RSNA Scholar Grant RSCH1317
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveTo compare ultrasound and shear wave elastography (SWE) changes in the common extensor tendon over time after platelet-rich plasma (PRP) or corticosteroid (CS) treatment, and to assess for correlations between patient-reported outcomes (PROs) and US/SWE changes of the common extensor tendon. MATERIALS AND

methodsA secondary analysis of a prospective double-blinded, randomized controlled trial comparing US and SWE changes after a single treatment of PRP or CS for the treatment of lateral epicondylosis was conducted. Subjects 18-65 years with recalcitrant lateral elbow pain were enrolled between 3/1/2017 and 4/1/2019 and randomized to a treatment group. US/SWE of the common extensor tendon was performed at baseline, 26 weeks, and 52 weeks, and PROs were also recorded. Treatment effects between groups were compared using linear mixed effects models.

resultsFifty elbows in 47 subjects (mean 48 years ± 8; 25 women) were randomized to two groups-PRP (N = 26) and CS (N = 24). Shear wave speed (SWS) increased with PRP more than with CS at both 26 weeks (2.02 m/s ± 0.61; p = 0.002) and 52 weeks (2.98 m/s ± 0.49; p < 0.01). At 26 weeks, no differences were detected between treatments by conventional US. At 52 weeks, echogenicity and hyperemia improved with PRP relative to CS (p < 0.05). Increased SWS correlated with improvement in all PROs (p < 0.05). For conventional US changes, the only correlation to PROs was that of echogenicity with pain (p = 0.04).

conclusionSWS increased more with PRP than CS at 26- and 52-week post-treatment for lateral epicondylosis, and increased SWS correlated with clinical improvement. KEY POINTS: Question Can SWE detect healing changes in the common extensor tendon associated with clinical improvement of lateral epicondylitis in patients treated with PRP or CS injection? Findings Higher common extensor tendon SWSs were associated with clinical improvement and improved more in those treated with PRP than with CS. Clinical relevance statement SWE may be able to quantitatively detect treatment changes in tendons associated with clinical improvement.

Indexed as

Elasticity Imaging TechniquesPlatelet-Rich PlasmaTennis ElbowAdolescentAdrenal Cortex HormonesAdultAgedDouble-Blind MethodFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedProspective StudiesTreatment OutcomeWound HealingYoung AdultAdrenal Cortex HormonesElbow tendinopathyPlatelet-rich plasmaSonoelastography (ultrasonography)Tennis elbow

Identifiers

PMID40715679

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.