title: [Use of Ultrasound in the Follow-up of Professional Athletes Receiving Conservative Treatment of Patellar Tendon Enthesiopathy].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the role of high-frequency ultrasound (HFUS) in evaluating in the effectiveness of conservative treatment for professional athletes with patellar tendon enthesiopathy.
  
  
  METHODS
  According to different treatment intensities, 24 professional athletes with patellar tendon enthesiopathy were randomly divided into painless group, slightly-painful group and extremely-painful group. Then changes of the HFUS findings [including ranges of two-dimensional diseases and blood conditions by Color Doppler Flow Imaging (CDFI)] of patellar tendon before and after the treatment were recorded. The results were also compared with conventional clinical treatment evaluations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After two courses of treatment,the percentage of athletes whose pain was resolved or disappeared was 37.5% in painless group, 87.5% in slightly-painful group, and 62.5% in extremely-painful group. The pain score was 4.50 ± 2.07, 4.88 ± 1.13, and 6.13 ± 1.55 in painless group,slightly-painful group,and extremely-painful group, respectively,before treatment and 4.88 ± 2.17, 3.00 ± 1.77,and 5.13 ± 2.36 after treatment. The average pain score remarkably decreased in the slightly-painful group and extremely-painful group,and such difference was statistically significant in the slightly-pain group (P<0.05). The effective rate (defined as thinner patellar,decreased hypoecho area and fewer blood distribution in the lesion) was 38%, 50%, and 62% in the painless group, slightly-painful group,and extremely-painful group, and the rates in the slightly-painful group and extremely-painful group were significantly higher than that in painless group (both P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HFUS can display the ultrasonographic changes of patellar tendon enthesiopathy after conservative treatments in an objective and quantitative manner. Compared with conventional clinical evaluations, it can more accurately reflect the disease recovery status.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Ultrasound,Peking University Third Hospital,Beijing 100191,China2Department of Ultrasound,Health Clinic,Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Development,Beijing 100083,China3Department of Exercise Rehabilitation,Beijing Sports University,Beijing 100084,China.
authors.forename: Li-juan
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Ultrasound,Peking University Third Hospital,Beijing 100191,China2Department of Ultrasound,Health Clinic,Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Development,Beijing 100083,China3Department of Exercise Rehabilitation,Beijing Sports University,Beijing 100084,China.
authors.forename: Li-gang
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.forename: Yu-mei
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Li-ping
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Song
mesh_terms: D056352:Athletes; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D010146:Pain; D017847:Patellar Ligament; D052256:Tendinopathy; D014463:Ultrasonography