Ultrasound findings in injuries of dorsal extensor hood: correlation with MR and follow-up findings.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to use ultrasound to examine the dorsal hood in nine patients with a clinical suspicion of dorsal hood injuries.


METHODS
Clinical and imaging files from interesting case logbooks of nine patients were reviewed. Ultrasound was performed by one of the three radiologists experienced in musculoskeletal ultrasound. The examinations were also performed in flexion and in flexion with resistance. MR correlation was obtained in six patients. One patient underwent surgery. To obtain anatomical correlation of the normal dorsal hood 2 embalmed hand specimens were dissected.


RESULTS
The sagittal bands were easily depicted in the transverse plane on ultrasound images and presented as hypoechoic bands on both sides of the extensor communis tendons. Injuries of the sagittal bands were seen on ultrasound as hypoechoic thickening of the sagittal bands at the side of the extensor tendons. The normal shape of the sagittal bands was also no longer recognizable. Subluxations or dislocations of the extensor tendons were also seen. When the injuries were located in the fibrous slips between the extensor indicis and the extensor communis of the second finger, subluxations with an increased distance between these 2 tendons were seen, especially in flexion, or in flexion with resistance.


CONCLUSIONS
Ultrasound is a valuable tool for the assessment of the injuries of the dorsal hood and is an easily available method for the diagnosis of the fine soft tissue components of the dorsal hood region.
Kichouh
Mimoun
M
Department of Radiology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 101, 1090 Jette, Brussel, Belgium.
De Maeseneer
Michel
M
Jager
Tjeerd
T
Marcelis
Stefaan
S
Van Hedent
Eddy
E
Van Roy
Peter
P
De Mey
Johan
J
D000328:Adult; D002102:Cadaver; D005260:Female; D006230:Hand Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008662:Metacarpophalangeal Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000293:injuries* / Q000473:pathology; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods*