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Ulnar collateral ligament: differentiation of displaced and nondisplaced tears with US
I M Noszian1, L M Dinkhauser, E Orthner
1Department of Radiology II, Hospital of the Sisters of Mercy, Wels, Austria.
Purpose:
To determine the usefulness of ultrasound (US) in the differentiation of displaced and nondisplaced tears of the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL).
Materials And Methods:
A 7.5-10-MHz linear-array transducer was used to examine 69 patients in whom a UCL tear was suspected, 43 of whom also underwent surgery. The US findings were compared with those obtained at surgery.
Results:
Results of US corresponded to results of surgery in 37 of 43 patients. Findings were false-positive in six patients. Twenty-six patients were treated conservatively with thumb casts. These patients showed stability and free range of motion at the first metacarpophalangeal joint at clinical follow-up (9-13 months).
Conclusion:
Sonography is useful for evaluating nondisplaced and retracted tears of the UCL and determining the need for surgery.