Ultrasound assessment of muscle structure and function in children with spastic cerebral palsy

Is this trial a fit for you?

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

This is a prospective, cross-sectional observational project that performs high-resolution ultrasound on the medial gastrocnemius (lower limb) and brachialis (upper limb) to capture muscle thickness, pennation angle, fascicle length, echo intensity, shear wave elastography stiffness, and superb microvascular imaging. These imaging measures will be compared with standard clinical scales such as GMFCS, GMFM-66, MAS, MACS, and the Tardieu Scale. Participants are ambulatory children with spastic cerebral palsy who can cooperate with ultrasound and clinical testing. The goal is to better define structure–function links that could inform individualized rehabilitation planning and clinical decision-making.

Why it matters

Who can join: the full rules

Inclusion Criteria:

* Diagnosis of spastic cerebral palsy (SCP) according to the criteria defined by Rosenbaum et al. (2007)
* Age between 4 and 18 years
* Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) Level I, II, or III
* Manual Ability Classification System (MACS) Level I, II, III, or IV

Exclusion Criteria:

* Non-spastic types of cerebral palsy (e.g., dyskinetic, ataxic)
* Diagnosis of neuromuscular disorders other than cerebral palsy (e.g., hereditary neuropathy, myopathy)
* Presence of muscle contractures or fixed deformities in the limbs selected for ultrasound and clinical assessment
* Cognitive or behavioral impairments that prevent cooperation during ultrasound or clinical evaluation
* Botulinum toxin-A (BoNT-A) injection applied to the target muscles within the last 6 months
* Current treatment with oral or intrathecal antispastic medications
* History of orthopedic surgery or selective dorsal rhizotomy involving the target muscles
* Acute infection, febrile illness, or severe systemic disease (e.g., advanced heart failure, respiratory insufficiency) that may compromise the safety of assessments

Where it's running

• Kocaeli University Faculty of Medicine
  Kocaeli, Turkey (Türkiye) Recruiting

Study contacts

• Study coordinator: Mustafa Kadıoğlu, MD
• Email: mustafa.kadioglu@kocaeli.edu.tr
• Phone: +90 262 303 75 00

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How to take part

1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.