Corrie M. Yablon

Clavicle and acromioclavicular joint injuries: A review of imaging, treatment, and complications

Fractures of the clavicle account for 2.6–5% of all fractures. Clavicular fractures have traditionally been treated conservatively, however, there has recently been increased interest in surgical repair of displaced clavicular fractures, with resultant lower rates of nonunion and malunion. Treatment of acromioclavicular (AC) separation has traditionally been conservative, with surgery reserved for patients with chronic pain or significant dislocation and acute soft tissue injury. It is important for the radiologist to become familiar with the surgical techniques used to fixate these fractures as well as the post-operative appearance and potential complications.

US of the Peripheral Nerves of the Lower Extremity: A Landmark Approach

Ultrasonography (US) is commonly used to assess the peripheral nerves of the lower extremity because of its many advantages over magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. The most obvious advantages over MR imaging are superior soft-tissue resolution, low cost, portability, lack of magnetic susceptibility artifact, and the ability to image patients who cannot undergo MR imaging. US has been shown to have equal specificity and greater sensitivity than MR imaging in the evaluation of peripheral nerves. Additional benefits are the capability of real-time and dynamic imaging, and the ability to scan an entire extremity quickly without the need for a patient to lie motionless for long periods of time, as with MR imaging. Any abnormal findings can be easily compared against the contralateral side. Published literature has shown that US has clinical utility in patients suspected of having peripheral nerve disease: US can be used to guide diagnostic and therapeutic decisions, as well as help confirm electrodiagnostic findings. Common indications for lower extremity peripheral nerve US are the evaluation for injury due to penetrating trauma, entrapment by scar tissue, or tumor. To confidently perform US of the peripheral nerves of the lower extremity, it is important to gain a thorough knowledge of anatomic landmarks and the course of each nerve. Readers who may not be familiar with US will be introduced to the basics of scanning the peripheral nerves of the lower extremity. Important anatomic landmarks and common sites of injury and entrapment will be reviewed.

Ultrasound-Guided Fenestration of Tendons About the Hip and Pelvis Clinical Outcomes

Percutaneous ultrasound‐guided needle fenestration has been used to treat tendinopathy of the elbow, knee, and ankle with promising results. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical outcome of ultrasound‐guided fenestration of tendons about the hip and pelvis.

Nodular Fasciitis Characteristic Imaging Features on Sonography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the imaging features of nodular fasciitis on sonography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Ultrasound-guided interventions of the foot and ankle.

Ultrasound (US) provides excellent delineation of tendons and ligaments in the foot and ankle and provides real-time visualization of a needle during interventions, yielding greater accuracy and efficacy than the traditional blind approach using anatomical landmarks. For this reason, US is rapidly gaining acceptance as the preferred modality for guiding interventions in the foot and ankle where the anatomy is complex, neurovascular structures should be identified, and precise technique is demanded. In the foot and ankle, US is especially useful to guide tendon sheath, bursal, and Achilles paratenon injections, Morton neuroma injections, plantar fascial injections, and joint aspirations and injections.

Ultrasonography of the Shoulder with Arthroscopic Correlation

Ultrasonography is a well-established and widely accepted modality for the evaluation of rotator cuff tears and injury to the biceps brachii tendon. Ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging have comparable sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing both full-thickness and partial-thickness rotator cuff tears. This article addresses the ultrasonographic diagnosis of abnormalities of the rotator cuff, rotator interval, and biceps brachii, with magnetic resonance imaging and arthroscopic correlation. Characteristic ultrasonographic findings as well as imaging pitfalls are reviewed.

Bone Marrow Signal Alteration in the Spine and Sacrum

B one marrow signal abnormality in the spine and sacrum is a common, sometimes unexpected finding on MRI, and it can be a source of diagnostic dilemma to radiologists who interpret these examinations. The myriad causes of bone marrow signal alteration include variants of normal, marrow reconversion, tumor (myeloproliferative disorders, metastatic, or primary), radiation, fracture, degenerative change, infection, inflammatory arthritis, and osteonecrosis. A pattern-based diagnostic approach to bone marrow signal abnormalities in the axial skeleton frequently helps to generate a concise list of diagnostic possibilities, thereby potentially minimizing the need for biopsy. The three main components involved in assessing the pattern of perceived signal abnormality on MRI are its signal characteristics, distribution, and morphology. Much information can be gained by evaluating the signal characteristics of a lesion on the different pulse sequences generally used (described in the next section). The distribution of bone marrow signal abnormalities can be categorized as diffuse or infiltrative, focal, or multifocal (Table 1). In the spine, it is important to consider the distribution of the lesion, whether it is localized within the vertebral body, extends into the pedicles or posterior elements, or is confined to the endplates. The morphology of the lesion should be assessed in terms of its borders, whether it is discrete and well circumscribed, ill defined, or aggressive and whether there is destruction of the cortical margin or merely outward bulging and expansion. This pattern-based approach must be combined with the routine diagnostic workup of bone marrow signal abnormalities seen elsewhere in the appendicular skeleton, including comparison with prior MRI (if present), complementary imaging (if needed), and clinical chemistry and bone biopsy (where appropriate).

Pitfalls in wrist and hand ultrasound.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this article is to review a number of diagnostic pitfalls related to ultrasound evaluation of the hand and wrist. Such pitfalls relate to evaluation of ten-dons (extensor retinaculum, multiple tendon fascicles, tendon subluxation), inflammatory arthritis (incomplete evaluation, misinterpretation of erosions, failure to evaluate for enthesitis), carpal tunnel syndrome (inaccurate measurements, postoperative assessment), ulnar collateral ligament of the thumb (misinterpretation of the adductor aponeurosis and displaced tear), wrist ganglion cysts (incomplete evaluation and misdiagnosis), and muscle variants. CONCLUSION Although ultrasound has been shown to be an effective imaging method for assessment of many pathologic conditions of the wrist, knowledge of potential pitfalls is essential to avoid misdiagnosis and achieve high diagnostic accuracy.

High-resolution proton density weighted three-dimensional fast spin echo (3D-FSE) of the knee with IDEAL at 1.5 tesla: Comparison with 3D-FSE and 2D-FSE—initial experience

To assess the feasibility of combining three‐dimensional fast spin echo (3D‐FSE) and Iterative‐decomposition‐of water‐and‐fat‐with‐echo asymmetry‐and‐least‐squares‐estimation (IDEAL) at 1.5 Tesla (T), generating a high‐resolution 3D isotropic proton density‐weighted image set with and without “fat‐suppression” (FS) in a single acquisition, and to compare with 2D‐FSE and 3D‐FSE (without IDEAL).

Clinical and Radiologic Predictive Factors of Septic Hip Arthritis

OBJECTIVE The purpose of our study was to identify the clinical and radiologic factors associated with a positive culture during image-guided hip joint aspiration. MATERIALS AND METHODS We performed a retrospective analysis of 167 consecutive hip aspirations for septic arthritis at a large tertiary medical center. Chart review was performed on the following clinical factors: serum WBC count≥11×10(3)/μL, serum erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)≥20 mm/h, C-reactive protein (CRP)≥100 mg/L, synovial fluid WBC count, synovial fluid polymorphonuclear (PMN) leukocytes≥90%, fever, immunosuppression, antibiotic use, diabetes, presence of a prosthesis, and IV drug use (IVDU). Radiologic studies were reviewed for the following imaging and technical factors: presence of a sinus tract, fluid turbidity, volume of fluid (mL) aspirated, and whether the fluid analyzed was primarily aspirated or reaspirated after lavage. Logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratio (OR) and 95% CI. RESULTS Of the 167 aspirations, 29 (17.4%) had positive cultures; 6 of 29 (20.7%) positive cultures occurred in reaspirated lavage fluid. On multivariate analysis using logistic regression with stepwise backward elimination, the significant clinical and radiologic predictors were elevated WBC (OR, 4.4; 95% CI, 1.1-17.3), high percentage of synovial fluid PMN leukocytes (OR, 10.6; 95% CI, 2.9-39.8), IVDU (OR, 9.0; 95% CI, 1.3-64.7), and fluid turbidity (OR, 20.5; 95% CI, 6.9-61.4). CONCLUSION Positive hip cultures are associated with elevated serum WBC, IVDU, high percentage of synovial fluid PMN leukocytes, and fluid aspirate turbidity. Reaspiration of lavage fluid with either nonbacteriostatic saline or contrast material can yield positive cultures.