[Tendons: traumatic lesions]

In the recent years there has been an increase in the number of tendon tears (TT) seen in routine daily outpatient practice secondary to the increasing popularity of sport activities. Tears require early diagnosis to ensure proper treatment and reduce functional impairment. Since local pain, edema and reflex muscle contraction can significantly limit the usefulness of clinical examination, imaging is usually required to confirm the clinical diagnosis, differentiate between partial and complete tear, and localize the retracted tendon stump. Several imaging modalities can be used in the evaluation of TT. Ultrasound is an efficient, dynamic, low cost and non invasive modality that is being increasingly utilized in the evaluation of the musculoskeletal system. It is well accepted by the acutely injured patient. The aim of this review article is to describe the ultrasound findings of the most common tendon tears.