Ultrasound as an extension to physical examination

The study of Al-Hourani et al. (2018) has shown that ultrasound (US) of the hand/wrist has good diagnostic accuracy for post-repair tendon ruptures and ganglionic cysts, and shows promising results for benign soft tissue masses and nerve injuries. They recommend the use of ultrasound as an extension to physical examination in a dynamic clinic setting in order to (1) diagnose tendon ruptures and (2) differentiate ganglionic cysts vs. solid swellings in the hand and wrist.

According to Al-Hourani et al. ultrasound is a sound modality for differentiating between tendon and other structures such as nerve and soft tissue masses in the hand. This is particularly important due to the potential uncertainty surrounding anatomy after surgical intervention due to scarring, adhesions and inflammation.