title: Magnetic resonance imaging findings in patients with medial epicondylitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the MR imaging findings of 13 patients with clinically diagnosed medial epicondylitis with the MR imaging findings of 26 patients of similar age with no clinical evidence of medial epicondylitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study group consisted of 13 patients with clinically diagnosed medial epicondylitis. The control group consisted of 26 patients of similar age with no clinical evidence of medial epicondylitis. The medical records and MR imaging findings of these patients were retrospectively reviewed by two fellowship-trained musculoskeletal radiologists.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eleven of the 13 patients in the study group had thickening and increased signal intensity of the common flexor tendon on both T1-weighted and T2-weighted images. The remaining two patients in the study group had soft tissue edema around a normal-appearing common flexor tendon. Twenty-one of the 26 patients in the control group had a normal-appearing common flexor tendon on MR imaging. Three patients in the control group had a thickened common flexor tendon which was of intermediate signal intensity on T1-weighted images but of uniform low signal intensity on T2-weighted images. Two patients in the control group had a thickened common flexor tendon which was of intermediate signal intensity on both T1-weighted and T2-weighted images. None of the patients in the control group had soft tissue edema around the common flexor tendon.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MR imaging findings of patients with clinically diagnosed medial epicondylitis included thickening and increased T1 and T2 signal intensity of the common flexor tendon and soft tissue edema around the common flexor tendon. The presence of intermediate to high T2 signal intensity or high T2 signal intensity within the common flexor tendon and the presence of paratendinous soft tissue edema were the most specific findings of medial epicondylitis on MR imaging.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Wisconsin Hospital, Clinical Science Center E3/311, 600 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI 53792-3252, USA. rkijowski@mail.radiology.wisc.edu
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kijowski
authors.forename: Arthur A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: De Smet
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001175:Arthrography / Q000379:methods; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004487:Edema / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D004551:Elbow Joint / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017695:Soft Tissue Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis; D013708:Tendon Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013710:Tendons / Q000473:pathology*; D013716:Tennis Elbow / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; C064925:gadodiamide; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA