The carpal boss: a review of different sonographic findings.

Carpal boss is an uncommon condition whose incidence is underestimated and that is frequently confused with other causes of development of tumor-like lesions on the dorsum of the wrist. From the clinical point of view, the main obstacle to its recognition is the nonspecificity of symptoms, frequently attributed to dorsal ganglion cysts, since both conditions share a similar location on the dorsum of the wrist. The assessment by ultrasonography allows for a correct diagnosis and appropriate management, with better chances of resolution of the clinical complaint and lower probability of iatrogenic worsening of the lesion.

[Medical language directed to the rheumatologist: pitfalls and common mistakes].

The purpose of this article is to stimulate the use of the vernacular by health professionals, commenting a few words usually employed in communication between rheumatologists.

Diagnostic value of tendon thickness and structure in the sonographic diagnosis of supraspinatus tendinopathy: room for a two-step approach.

Objective: The aim of our study was to systematically compare different methodologies to establish an evidence-based approach based on tendon thickness and structure for sonographic diagnosis of supraspinatus tendinopathy when compared to MRI.

Methods: US was obtained from 164 symptomatic patients with supraspinatus tendinopathy detected at MRI and 42 asymptomatic controls with normal MRI. Diagnostic yield was calculated for either maximal supraspinatus tendon thickness (MSTT) and tendon structure as isolated criteria and using different combinations of parallel and sequential testing at US.

Role of sonography and magnetic resonance imaging in detecting deltoideal acromial enthesopathy: an early finding in the diagnosis of spondyloarthritis and an under-recognized cause of posterior shoulder pain.

The acromial origin of the deltoid is a target structure of ankylosing spondylitis and related spondyloarthritis, which are often overlooked and underdiagnosed as causes of posterior shoulder pain. The objective of this article is to review the roles of sonography and magnetic resonance imaging in detecting deltoideal acromial enthesopathy and their importance for optimizing management in individuals with posterior shoulder pain. Adequate awareness of such enthesopathy as a potential manifestation of inflammatory rheumatic disorders is critical for early diagnosis of spondyloarthritis.

Static and dynamic sonography for diagnosis of abdominal wall hernias.

Sonography is a fast, painless, inexpensive, and widely available tool usually regarded as a first-line imaging modality for abdominal wall evaluation. This article provides illustrative images and videos on the use of sonography for diagnosis of abdominal wall hernias. A variety of pitfalls that may present clinically as pseudohernias are also described.

Ultrasonography in rheumatoid arthritis: what rheumatologists should know.

Ultrasonography has recently gained prestige as an adjuvant method for the diagnosis and therapeutic follow-up of rheumatoid arthritis, although radiography remains the imaging modality traditionally and widely used for those purposes. The great advantage of the ultrasonographic study, which has motivated enthusiastic research in the area, resides in its capacity to detect synovitis and bone erosion at a pre-radiographic phase, which has been increasingly valued in preventing late and definitive structural damage. Because that is a relatively new subject, several scientific articles have been published in recent years about the potential applications of ultrasonography in individuals with rheumatoid arthritis, some of which directed to researchers and others to clinical rheumatologists.

Top ten pitfalls to avoid when performing musculoskeletal sonography: what you should know before entering the examination room.

Sonography has been used successfully to evaluate a number of musculoskeletal disorders. The method is operator dependent and familiarity with sonographic pitfalls greatly improves diagnostic accuracy and helps to optimize management. In this article, we discuss ten common pitfalls which can become a source of confusion and misdiagnosis in musculoskeletal sonography.

Comparison between exclusively long-axis and multiple-axis sonographic protocols for screening of rotator cuff lesions in symptomatic shoulders.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine whether exclusively long-axis sonography differs from a multiple-axis scanning protocol as a screening tool for rotator cuff lesions in symptomatic shoulders when compared with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Methods: A total of 509 consecutive patients (mean age, 52.8 years) referred for MRI were also routinely evaluated by sonography.