title: Ultrasound imaging for the rheumatologist V. Ultrasonography of the ankle and foot.
abstract: Ultrasonography (US) is a useful tool for imaging, which can be used for the assessment of joints and periarticular structures in all rheumatological disorders. In patients with pain and/or swelling of the ankle and foot, US provides information about the presence of joint effusion, synovitis, tenosynovitis, tendinosis, and tendons tears, helping in the differential diagnosis between joint or tendon/enthesis involvement. Moreover, US allows clinicians to monitor and guide needle positioning to inject pharmaceutical substances more safely and effectively even in hard-to-reach sites. US represents an accurate, safe and low-cost technique that can be used for the examination of the ankle and foot in rheumatic disorders.
authors.affiliation: Cattedra di Reumatologia, Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy. l.riente@int.med.unipi.it
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Riente
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Delle Sedie
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Iagnocco
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Filippucci
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Meenagh
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Valesini
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Grassi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bombardieri
mesh_terms: D000843:Ankle Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D033023:Foot Joints / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D012219:Rheumatology / Q000379:methods; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods