title: Sonographic assessment of suture artifact obscuring visualization of the digital nerve.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this study was to grade the severity of sonographic artifact produced by four suture materials and to determine whether these artifacts affect visualization of a digital nerve.
  
  
  METHODS
  A needle was placed into a pig foot to mimic a normal volar digital nerve. Incisions superficial to the needle were closed with different suture types, specifically nylon (N), chromic (C), vicryl (V), and prolene (P). Sonographic images were obtained using a high-frequency transducer. Twenty radiology residents and attending physicians graded the severity of artifact and nerve obscuration. Two image types were shown: one suture type per image and a composite image of each suture type, adjacent to one another.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Severity of nerve obscuration was as follows: composite image: P = N = V > C; individual images: P > N > V > C. Severity of artifact was: composite image: V = N > P > C; individual image: P > N > V > C.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although all sutures produced artifact, only C produced mild artifact, which did not significantly obscure visualization of the nerve model.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Jacobi Medical Center, 1400 Pelham Parkway South, Bronx, New York 10461, USA. mdelalam@gmail.com
authors.forename: Mauricio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: de la Lama
authors.forename: James M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Kessler
authors.forename: Hilary R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Umans
authors.forename: Keshav
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Magge
authors.forename: Ralph W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Liebling
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Negron
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016477:Artifacts; D005528:Foot; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D013536:Suture Techniques; D013537:Sutures / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013552:Swine; D014463:Ultrasonography