Wrist and Hand Ultrasound

Alberto Tagliafico; Maurizio Rubino; Alberto Autuori; Stefano Bianchi; Carlo Martinoli

doi:10.1055/s-2007-1001875

Seminars in Musculoskeletal Radiology, Table of Contents

Semin Musculoskelet Radiol 2007; 11(2): 95-104
DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-1001875

Wrist and Hand Ultrasound

Alberto Tagliafico¹ , Maurizio Rubino² , Alberto Autuori³ , Stefano Bianchi⁴ , Carlo Martinoli¹

¹Cattedra di Radiologia “R”-DICMI, Università di Genova, Genova, Italy
²I Divisione di Ortopedia, Ospedale San Martino, Genova, Italy
³Clinica Ortopedica Universitaria, Ospedale San Martino, Università di Genova, Genova, Italy
⁴Clinique et Fondation des Grangettes, Chene-Bougeries, Switzerland

Abstract

ABSTRACT

With adequate equipment, training, and expertise, ultrasound (US) should be regarded as the first-line imaging modality for the assessment of a wide range of pathological conditions affecting the soft tissues around the wrist and hand. With high-resolution transducers, US allows detection of foreign bodies and a reliable identification of a variety of traumatic lesions affecting tendons, retinacula and annular pulleys, ligaments, vessels, and nerves. In addition, inflammatory arthropathies, infectious disorders, overuse tendinopathies, and degenerative conditions can be diagnosed with this technique. In the wrist, US is able to identify the entrapment of the median, ulnar, and radial nerves. In patients with localized soft tissue swelling, US is able to assess the presence of a space-occupying lesion and to characterize its nature in many cases.

KEYWORDS

Ultrasound - hand - wrist

Full Text

References

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Carlo MartinoliM.D.

Cattedra di Radiologia “R”-DICMI

Largo Rosanna Benzi 8, I-16132, Università di Genova, Genova, Italy

Email: carlo.martinoli@libero.it