Muscle ultrasound helps assess children with SMA treated with Spinraza

Quantitative muscle ultrasonography is a feasible and objective way to assess muscle structure and its link to motor function in children with SMA treated with Spinraza (nusinersen), according to a study published on July 8, 2026, in Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. The study included 34 children with genetically confirmed SMA (mean age about 7 years, treated with Spinraza for roughly three years on average) and 34 healthy children for comparison.

Across all examined muscle groups, children with SMA had significantly lower muscle thickness and higher echointensity — signs of muscle-tissue loss and its replacement by fat and connective tissue. Worse motor-scale scores (CHOP INTEND, HFMSE, RULM) correlated with more pronounced ultrasound changes, especially in the lower-leg and forearm muscles. The authors note that the method is non-invasive, repeatable, and largely independent of patient cooperation.

Source: SMA News Today