title: Diagnosis of the hypothenar hammer syndrome by high-resolution contrast-enhanced MR angiography.
abstract: Our objective was to describe the imaging features of hypothenar hammer syndrome using minimally invasive contrast-enhanced MR angiography in comparison with oscillography study. In five patients with hypothenar hammer syndrome Gd-BOPTA-enhanced elliptically reordered 3D pulse sequence MR was compared with oscillography findings and clinical symptoms focusing on angiographic appearance of vessel injury, distribution pattern of hand vasculature and joining branches between the radial and ulnar artery supply. All patients showed segmental occlusion at the site of trauma impact with varying involvement of the superficial palmar arch, common volar digital arteries. Embolic disease was present in 50% of patients and could be clearly identified with MRA. Good correspondence was found between angiographic appearance including the presence of collaterals, clinical symptoms and oscillography. Bilateral comparison was helpful in distinguishing between vessel variants and pathology. Bilateral Gd-BOPTA-enhanced MR angiography is a minimally invasive method to depict clearly the localization and extent of vessel injury in hypothenar hammer syndrome providing valuable information about distribution pattern of hand vasculature and presence of collaterals; however, no flow data can be obtained.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Radiology, University of Freiburg, Hugstetter Strasse 55, 79106 Freiburg, Germany. winterja@ruf.uni-freiburg.de
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Winterer
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ghanem
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Roth
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Schaefer
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lehnhardt
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Thürl
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Horch
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Laubenberger
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003287:Contrast Media; D005385:Fingers / Q000098:blood supply; D006225:Hand / Q000098:blood supply*; D006801:Humans; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008536:Meglumine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D013577:Syndrome; D017535:Ulnar Artery / Q000293:injuries*
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; C064572:gadobenic acid; D008536:Meglumine