Background: Evaluation of hand tendon injuries can benefit greatly from the use of high-resolution ultrasound as a potential diagnostic technique.
Objective: To study the role of diagnostic ultrasound in tendon entrapment at wrist and hand both in static and dynamic methods.
Patients and methods: A clinical study was conducted on 36 cases. The study included patients with known history of recent or past trauma, had one or more nodules on volar aspect of the proximal one-half of one or more fingers, presented with flexion contracture of fingers, and were attending at Radiodiagnosis Department, Zagazig University Hospitals.
Results: The most affected structure was the tendon (63.9%), with thickened tendon in 44.4% of patients and degenerative changes of tendon in only one patient. Fluid in tendon sheath was presented in 30.6% of patients, there was thickening of pulley of tendon in 22.2% of patients. Ultrasound diagnosis was non-inflammatory and inflammatory conditions, the non-inflammatory was more common. The most common cause of non-inflammatory conditions was Dupuytren's contracture. The palm of hand more affected than dorsum of hand so the flexor tendons more affected than the extensors.
Conclusion: When tendon defects of the hands and fingers are suspected, ultrasonography of the hands should be a standard part of the imaging strategy (trigger finger, tendon related masses tenosynovitis, as well as tendon tears).