Application of Ultrasound and Ultrasound-Guided Intervention for Evaluating Elbow Joint Pathologies

Elbow pain and injuries are commonly observed in athletes and those who perform repeated forearm movements. Inflammatory disorders, soft tissue injuries, neoplasms, and nerve entrapment syndromes are also observed within the elbow joint. Ultrasound has the advantages of providing high-resolution images of the soft tissues, the absence of radiation exposure, easy accessibility, low cost, and it provides relatively easy dynamic examinations in comparison with other radiologic modalities. Because of these advantages, diagnostic ultrasound and ultrasound-guided interventions for evaluating the elbow joint have increased in importance. This article reviews the applications of ultrasound for the diagnosis of common elbow pathologies, including medial epicondylopathy, lateral epicondylopathy, ulnar collateral ligament injury, distal biceps tendon rupture, triceps tendon rupture, joint effusion, olecranon bursitis, occult fracture, soft tissue mass, and nerve entrapment. In addition, this article discusses ultrasound-guided intervention, including aspiration, the injection of medications, and minimally invasive surgical procedures.