Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
10691937 | Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology | 2013 | 8 Pages |
Abstract
Trigger digit is recognized as thickening and constriction of the flexor tendon sheath at the base of digits. This study investigates the correlation between the severity grading of trigger digits and clinical findings from high-frequency ultrasonography. We measured and compared thicknesses, areas and pathological changes of the flexor digit tendons among total, contracture and noncontracture trigger digits and noninvolved contralateral digits. Forty-seven patients with 55 idiopathic trigger digits (36 contracture and 19 noncontracture) and 55Â noninvolved contralateral digits were examined using high-frequency ultrasonography. The thickness of the flexor tendons was measured in a longitudinal plane at the A1 pulley: Inlet (metacarpal head-neck junction), Outlet (proximal phalangeal base-shaft junction) and Interpulley (middle of Inlet and Outlet). The cross-sectional and extratendinous tissue areas of the flexor tendons in a transverse plane at the point of Interpulley were measured. Pathological changes including irregular internal echotextures, fluid collection, dominant A1Â pulley and abnormal metacarpophalangeal joint were analyzed. All thicknesses and areas of total and contracture trigger digits were significantly greater than those of noninvolved contralateral digits (p < 0.05), whereas no significant difference was observed in noncontracture trigger digits. The pathological changes were all significantly different from noninvolved contralateral digits in total, contracture and noncontracture trigger digits (p < 0.05). In contracture and noncontracture trigger digits, there were significant differences only in the thickness of the Inlet and the pathological change of the dominant A1 pulley (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the results of the ultrasonographic measurements and findings provided evidence of Notta's node and correlated with clinical findings and severity grades.
Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering
Physics and Astronomy
Acoustics and Ultrasonics
Authors
Chen-Hao Chiang, Li-Chieh Kuo, Yao-Lung Kuo, Kuo-Chen Wu, Chung-Jung Shao, Tai-Chang Chern, I-Ming Jou,