Ultrasound examination of the elbow joint is used in the diagnosis of elbow pain, reduced mobility in the joint and in the case of reduced strength of the muscles of the arm or forearm. The elbow ultrasound enables the assessment of degenerative changes in the joint and allows the diagnosis of most pathologies of the soft tissues surrounding the elbow joint (e.g. tennis elbow syndrome). Moreover, it is possible to trace the course of the nerves for possible compression of the entrapment at the level of the elbow joint structures.
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What structures does the doctor assess during the ultrasound of the elbow?
bone outlines of the epicondyle of the humerus and proximal epiphyses of the forearm,
collateral ligaments of the elbow joint,
tendons in the muscles surrounding the elbow joint,
bursae (elbow, radial-biceps) to facilitate the glide of the muscle tendons,
course of the ulnar, median and radial nerves in the area of the elbow.
What can be diagnosed during an ultrasound of the elbow?
The following are the most common pathologies of the elbow area that the doctor can assess partially or fully with ultrasound of the elbow joint:
elbow joint degeneration,
effusion in the elbow joint (inflammatory, traumatic),
damage or degeneration of muscle tendon attachments:
wrist flexors (golfer's elbow),
wrist extensors (tennis elbow),
two-headed arm,
three-headed arm,
collateral ligament injuries,
bursitis,
elbow bursitis,
nerve compression syndromes around the elbow:
ulnar nerve groove syndrome,
pronator syndrome.
Doppler ultrasound enables the assessment of the degree of revascularization, e.g. within the tendons with chronic degeneration in the course of tennis or golfer's elbow syndrome.
Ultrasound of the elbow joint with dynamic assessment
The dynamic ultrasound examination of the elbow joint consists in the aggression of soft tissues (muscle tendons, bursae, nerves) into a pair to the bones while bending and straightening the elbow with possible repositioning or inversion of the forearm. Ultrasound examination of the elbow joint enables the assessment of tissue slip in real time, which facilitates diagnosis or repair of the elbow area. An example of a pathology that can be diagnosed during dynamic ultrasound examination of the elbow is the jumping of the tendon of the triceps muscle over the medial epicondyle of the humerus.
Elbow Sonosurgery
Sonosurgery to define a percutaneous ultrasound-guided intervention. Examples of sonosurgery on the elbow are:
Giving of the drug into the elbow joint
Giving a steroid to the inflamed elbow bursa,
Treatment of a golfer's elbow or a tennis elbow:
Needle tenotomy, i.e. multiple punctures of the tendon sought to stimulate healing and tissue remodeling,
giving of plasma with concentrated platelets or Orthokine,
Puncture of the elbow joint with collection of the articular factor,
Aspiration of the contents of a gelatinous cyst (ganglion).
Frequently asked questions about the elbow ultrasound:
The ultrasound of the elbow joint allows, first of all, to assess the bone contours and the condition of the soft tissues surrounding the elbow joint (tendons, muscles, bursae, nerves). The indication for performing a magnetic resonance imaging of the elbow (MRI) is an ambiguous ultrasound examination result or the need for a precise evaluation of cartilage and bone injuries of the elbow joint, which can only be seen on MRI scans.
Ultrasound of the elbow does not require special preparation from the patient. Ultrasound is a non-invasive and completely safe examination - pregnant women and young children can use it without restrictions. For the ultrasound examination, it is worth bringing with you previously taken X-rays of the elbow joint, which will help the doctor interpret the bone outlines visible in the ultrasound examination.
