Article Text

Download PDFPDF
Are ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging of value in assessment of Achilles tendon disorders? A two year prospective study
  1. K M Khan1,
  2. B B Forster2,
  3. J Robinson1,
  4. Y Cheong2,
  5. L Louis2,
  6. L Maclean1,
  7. J E Taunton1
  1. 1Department of Family Practice, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
  2. 2Department of Radiology, University of British Columbia
  1. Correspondence to:
 Dr Khan, James Mather Building, 5804 Fairview Avenue, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z3; 
 kkhan{at}interchange.ubc.ca

Abstract

Objectives: To (a) compare ultrasound (US; including grey scale and colour and power Doppler) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI; with high resolution and fat saturation sequences) with a clinical yardstick in the evaluation of chronic Achilles tendinopathy, and (b) examine whether either imaging method predicted 12 and 24 month clinical outcome.

Methods: Forty five patients with symptoms in 57 Achilles tendons were diagnosed with tendinopathy by an experienced sports medicine doctor. All patients underwent US examination (12 MHz probe) with colour and power Doppler, and 25 consecutive patients also underwent MRI with high resolution T1 weighted and STIR sequences.

Results: US identified abnormal morphology in 37 of the 57 symptomatic tendons (65%) and normal morphology in 19 of 28 asymptomatic tendons (68%). Baseline US findings did not predict 12 month clinical outcome. The addition of colour and power Doppler did not improve the diagnostic performance of US. MRI identified abnormal morphology in 19 of 34 symptomatic tendons (56%) and normal morphology in 15 of 16 asymptomatic tendons (94%). Lesser grades of MR signal abnormality at baseline were associated with better clinical status at 12 month follow up.

Conclusions: US and MRI show only moderate correlation with clinical assessment of chronic Achilles tendinopathy. Graded MRI appearance was associated with clinical outcome but US was not.

  • Achilles tendon
  • magnetic resonance imaging
  • outcome
  • tendinopathy
  • ultrasound
  • US, ultrasound
  • MRI, magnetic resonance imaging
  • VISA-A, Victorian Institute of Sport assessment scale

Statistics from Altmetric.com

Request Permissions

If you wish to reuse any or all of this article please use the link below which will take you to the Copyright Clearance Center’s RightsLink service. You will be able to get a quick price and instant permission to reuse the content in many different ways.

Footnotes