title: Diagnostic ultrasound of the hand and wrist.
abstract: To assess the efficacy, role, and limitations of diagnostic ultrasound in the hand and wrist, the results of 98 examinations performed for a variety of surgical conditions were retrospectively analyzed. Ultrasound was shown to be reliable in evaluating radiolucent foreign body, tendon rupture versus tendon adhesion, tendinitis, peritendinitis, and ganglion cyst (specificity, 1; positive predictive value, 1). A correct suggestion of soft tissue mass histology was offered in six of eight operated cases. Tumor size and extent was accurately assessed in all but one case. The observed limitation of ultrasound was a small false negative rate in each category, which related to a variety of factors, including operator dependence, resolution threshold in the submillimeter range, image degradation due to postoperative edema, a narrow field of view, and one instance of indiscrete tumor margination. More work is needed to determine the role (if any) of ultrasound in the evaluation of peripheral nerve, triangular fibrocartilage, dorsal carpal ligament, and bone pathology.
authors.affiliation: Sports Imaging, Sydney Hospital, Australia.
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Read
authors.forename: W B
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Conolly
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lanzetta
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Spielman
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Snodgrass
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Korber
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001847:Bone Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005188:False Negative Reactions; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006225:Hand / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012421:Rupture; D012983:Soft Tissue Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D013581:Synovial Cyst / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D052256:Tendinopathy / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D013708:Tendon Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014953:Wrist / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*