title: Sonoelastography of Plantar Fascia: Reproducibility and Pattern Description in Healthy Subjects and Symptomatic Subjects.
abstract: The purpose of the work reported here was to describe the sonoelastographic appearance of the plantar fascia of healthy volunteers and patients with fasciitis. Twenty-three healthy subjects and 21 patients with plantar fasciitis were examined using B-mode and real-time sonoelastography (RTSR) scanning. B-Mode examination included fascia thickness and echotexture. Echogenicity and echovariation of the color histogram were analyzed. Fasciae were classified into type 1, blue (more elastic); type 2, blue/green (intermediate); or type 3, green (less elastic). RTSE revealed 72.7% of fasciae as type 2, with no significant association with fasciitis (χ(2) = 3.6, df = 2, p = 0.17). Quantitative analysis of the color histogram revealed a significantly greater intensity of green (mean = 77.8, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 71.9-83.6) and blue (mean = 74.2, 95% CI = 69.7-78.8) in healthy subjects. Echovariation of the color red was 33.4% higher in the fasciitis group than in the healthy group (95% CI = 16.7-50.1). Sonoelastography with quantitative analysis of echovariation can be a useful tool for evaluation of plantar fascia pathology.
authors.affiliation: Health Sciences Department, Universidad Católica San Antonio, Campus de los Jerónimos s/n 30107 Guadalupe, Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ríos-Díaz
authors.affiliation: Health Sciences Department, Universidad Católica San Antonio, Campus de los Jerónimos s/n 30107 Guadalupe, Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: Jacinto J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Martínez-Payá
authors.affiliation: Health Sciences Department, Universidad Católica San Antonio, Campus de los Jerónimos s/n 30107 Guadalupe, Murcia, Spain. Electronic address: mbano@ucam.edu.
authors.forename: María Elena
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: del Baño-Aledo
authors.affiliation: Health Sciences Department, Universidad Católica San Antonio, Campus de los Jerónimos s/n 30107 Guadalupe, Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: de Groot-Ferrando
authors.affiliation: Health Sciences Department, Universidad Católica San Antonio, Campus de los Jerónimos s/n 30107 Guadalupe, Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: Paloma
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Botía-Castillo
authors.affiliation: Health Sciences Department, Universidad Católica San Antonio, Campus de los Jerónimos s/n 30107 Guadalupe, Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fernández-Rodríguez
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D055119:Elastic Modulus; D054459:Elasticity Imaging Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D005205:Fascia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D036981:Fasciitis, Plantar / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006365:Heel / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D015588:Observer Variation; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Adults; Comparative study; Elasticity imaging techniques; Plantar fasciitis; Ultrasonography