TY - JOUR

T1 - Three-dimensional Doppler ultrasound findings in healthy wrist and finger tendon sheaths

T2 - can feeding vessels lead to misinterpretation in Doppler-detected tenosynovitis?

AU - Ammitzboll-Danielsen, Mads

AU - Janta, Iustina

AU - Torp-Pedersen, Søren

AU - Naredo, Esperanza

AU - Ostergaard, Mikkel

AU - Terslev, Lene

PY - 2016/3/18

Y1 - 2016/3/18

N2 - BackgroundThe aim was to investigate the presence of feeding vessels in or in close proximity to extensor and flexor tendon sheaths at the wrists level and in finger flexor tendon sheaths in healthy controls, using 3D ultrasound (US), which may cause pitfalls, in order to ensure correct interpretation of Doppler signals when diagnosing tenosynovitis.MethodForty healthy participants (20 women and 20 men age 23-67 years) without prior history of arthritis, tendon diseases or present pain in their hands were included. Twenty participants had 3D Doppler US of the second and third finger and twenty of the right wrist. US was carried out using a GE Logiq E9 unit with a 3D US probe. The colour Doppler settings were to published recommendation.ResultsThe feeding vessels in or in close proximity to the tendon sheaths were found in the flexor and extensor tendons sheaths at least once in each participant. No significant difference in feeding vessels was seen between the radial and carpal level in the wrist (p = 0.06) or between the second and third flexor tendon sheath (p = 0.84).ConclusionDoppler findings in or in close proximity to the tendon sheaths were common in wrists and fingers in healthy participants. These feeding vessels can be a source of error, not only due to their presence but also because they may be interpreted as being inside the tendon sheath due to blooming and reverberations artefacts. These vessels should be taken into consideration when diagnosing Doppler tenosynovitis.

AB - BackgroundThe aim was to investigate the presence of feeding vessels in or in close proximity to extensor and flexor tendon sheaths at the wrists level and in finger flexor tendon sheaths in healthy controls, using 3D ultrasound (US), which may cause pitfalls, in order to ensure correct interpretation of Doppler signals when diagnosing tenosynovitis.MethodForty healthy participants (20 women and 20 men age 23-67 years) without prior history of arthritis, tendon diseases or present pain in their hands were included. Twenty participants had 3D Doppler US of the second and third finger and twenty of the right wrist. US was carried out using a GE Logiq E9 unit with a 3D US probe. The colour Doppler settings were to published recommendation.ResultsThe feeding vessels in or in close proximity to the tendon sheaths were found in the flexor and extensor tendons sheaths at least once in each participant. No significant difference in feeding vessels was seen between the radial and carpal level in the wrist (p = 0.06) or between the second and third flexor tendon sheath (p = 0.84).ConclusionDoppler findings in or in close proximity to the tendon sheaths were common in wrists and fingers in healthy participants. These feeding vessels can be a source of error, not only due to their presence but also because they may be interpreted as being inside the tendon sheath due to blooming and reverberations artefacts. These vessels should be taken into consideration when diagnosing Doppler tenosynovitis.

KW - Ultrasonography

KW - Tenosynovitis

KW - Rheumatoid arthritis

U2 - 10.1186/s13075-016-0968-3

DO - 10.1186/s13075-016-0968-3

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 26993979

VL - 18

JO - Arthritis Research & Therapy

JF - Arthritis Research & Therapy

SN - 1478-6354

M1 - 70

ER -