Sonography of traumatic quadriceps tendon tears with surgical correlation.
OBJECTIVE
Using surgical correlation as the reference standard, the purpose of this study was to assess the ability of sonography to detect quadriceps tendon tears that require surgical treatment (high-grade partial tears and complete ruptures).


METHODS
Two hundred thirty-nine consecutive sonographic reports of the knee (May 2001 to October 2008) with subsequent surgical correlation were retrospectively reviewed for surgical intervention on the quadriceps tendon. All sonograms were blindly and retrospectively reviewed. Surgical findings were compared with results from the consensus review. Results from the original sonographic reports (nonretrospective interpretation) were also compared with the surgical findings.


RESULTS
On the retrospective consensus review, the sensitivity (23 of 23), specificity (16 of 16), and accuracy (39 of 39) were 100% for identifying high-grade partial tears or complete ruptures versus a normal quadriceps tendon. For the original, nonretrospective sonographic reports, 22 of 23 high-grade partial tears or complete ruptures (96%) were correctly diagnosed.


CONCLUSIONS
Sonography is an effective tool for identifying quadriceps tendon tears that require surgical treatment (high-grade partial tears and complete ruptures).
Department of Radiology, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, Michigan USA (R.F., D.F., C.Y., C.B., J.J.); and Department of Radiology, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, Michigan USA (J.N.).
Ryan
R
Foley
Department of Radiology, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, Michigan USA (R.F., D.F., C.Y., C.B., J.J.); and Department of Radiology, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, Michigan USA (J.N.) fessell@med.umich.edu.
David
D
Fessell
Department of Radiology, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, Michigan USA (R.F., D.F., C.Y., C.B., J.J.); and Department of Radiology, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, Michigan USA (J.N.).
Corrie
C
Yablon
Department of Radiology, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, Michigan USA (R.F., D.F., C.Y., C.B., J.J.); and Department of Radiology, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, Michigan USA (J.N.).
Jeffrey
J
Nadig
Department of Radiology, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, Michigan USA (R.F., D.F., C.Y., C.B., J.J.); and Department of Radiology, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, Michigan USA (J.N.).
Catherine
C
Brandon
Department of Radiology, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, Michigan USA (R.F., D.F., C.Y., C.B., J.J.); and Department of Radiology, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, Michigan USA (J.N.).
Jon
J
Jacobson
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000379:methods; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012421:Rupture / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013708:Tendon Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery*; D058971:Tenotomy; D014463:Ultrasonography
knee sonography; musculoskeletal ultrasound; quadriceps tendon injury; sonography; traumatic quadriceps tendon tears