title: Bilateral thenar hammer syndrome.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Thenar hammer syndrome is a very rare condition that mimics rheumatic diseases such as carpal syndrome tunnel, Raynaud's phenomenon, and hand synovitis.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe the sonographic presentation of thenar hammer syndrome in a typical patient.
  
  
  METHODS
  Grey-scale sonography and colour Doppler imaging of the hands with an iU22 scanner (Philips) were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In B mode, the lesion was seen as a large, rounded, heterogeneous area combining hypoechoic and echogenic components. Pseudoaneurysm was diagnosed based on presence of a cystic saccular formation arising directly from the adjacent artery and exhibiting an irregular thick wall with turbulent blood flow in the lumen. Colour Doppler showed blood flow in part of the lumen, the rest of which was filled with a thrombus seen as echogenic tissue.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sonography can help to diagnose thenar hammer syndrome. Angiography may be unnecessary in patients with normal colour Doppler findings.
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Unit, Immunology Department, Brest Teaching Hospitals, BP 814, 29609 Brest cedex, France.
authors.forename: Sandrine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jousse-Joulin
authors.forename: Emmanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Plat
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Guias
authors.forename: Maria Antonietta
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: D'agostino
authors.forename: Luc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bressollette
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saraux
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006225:Hand; D006801:Humans; D006987:Hypesthesia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D010292:Paresthesia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D017534:Radial Artery / Q000293:injuries* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D011928:Raynaud Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000502:physiology; D013577:Syndrome; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color