Histopathology of tenosynovium in trigger fingers

Clinical effectiveness of Finger gliding Exercise for patients with trigger fingers receiving steroid injection: a Randomized Clinical Trial

Finger gliding exercises are believed to enhance flexor tendons excursion. This study assesses the effectiveness of finger gliding exercises in patients after receiving steroid injections for trigger fingers. Patients with trigger fingers who received corticosteroid injection were randomly assigned (1:1) to control and intervention group. The intervention group was required to do finger exercises and submit online exercise log regularly. The clinical outcomes of trigger fingers at 24 weeks and compliance with finger gliding exercises were assessed via online surveys. A total of 38 participants were allocated to each group. Baseline characteristics were similar, except for a longer duration of symptoms in the intervention group (5.2 ± 2.9 vs. 3.6 ± 2.6 months, P = 0.002). At 24 weeks, 34 (89.5%) control and 33 (86.8%) intervention group participants responded to online survey. No statistical significant differences were observed in Numerical Pain Rating Score, Quinelle grading, finger improvement rate, recurrence of triggering, need for repeated injection and occurrence of new trigger finger sites. The exercise log response rate and compliance rate were 85.6% and 68.6%. In conclusion, our study did not establish the clinical effectiveness of finger gliding exercise for trigger finger patients following steroid injections compared to usual care.

Analysis of a National Database Investigating Development of Trigger Finger after Treatment of Dupuytren Disease

Dupuytren disease is associated with inflammation and myofibroblast overgrowth, as is stenosing tenosynovitis (trigger finger). Both are linked with fibroblast proliferation, but a potential associative link between the diseases is unknown. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the progression of trigger finger following treatment for Dupuytren contracture in a large database.

Methods

A commercial database encompassing 53 million patients was utilized from January 1, 2010 to March 31, 2020. The study cohort included patients diagnosed with either Dupuytren disease or trigger finger utilizing International Classification Codes 9 and 10. Terminology codes were used to identify common Dupuytren procedures, as well as trigger finger release. Logistic regression analysis was used to define independent risk factors for developing trigger finger.

Results

A total of 593,606 patients were diagnosed with trigger finger. Of these patients, 15,416 (2.6%) were diagnosed with trigger finger after diagnosis of Dupuytren disease, whereas 2603 (0.4%) patients were diagnosed with trigger finger after treatment of Dupuytren contracture. Independent risk factors for trigger finger included age 65 years or older (OR 1.00, P < 0.05), diabetes (OR 1.12, P < 0.05) and obesity (OR 1.20, P < 0.005). Patients who received collagenase clostridium histolyticum treatment (OR 0.34, P < 0.005) for Dupuytren contracture were significantly less likely to develop trigger finger.

Conclusions

Dupuytren contracture is associated with inflammation and subsequent trigger finger development at a higher rate than the background population frequency. Collagenase clostridium histolyticum injection may lead to a decreased risk of trigger finger requiring surgical intervention in patients with risk factors.

Patient Experiences after Open Trigger Finger Release in Patients with Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes-A Retrospective Study Using Patient-reported Outcome Measures

Trigger finger is overrepresented among patients with diabetes mellitus (DM). Whether DM affects the outcome after open trigger finger release (OTFR) in patients with DM is not known. Our aim was thus to explore outcomes after OTFR in patients with type 1 (T1D) and type 2 DM (T2D).

Methods

Data included patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) from all OTFRs performed between 2010 and 2020 registered in the Swedish national registry for hand surgery in individuals over 18 years cross-linked with the Swedish National Diabetes Register (NDR). PROMs included QuickDASH and HQ8, a questionnaire designed for national registry for hand surgery, preoperative and at 3 and 12 months postoperative. HQ8 included pain on load, pain on motion without load, and stiffness. Outcome was calculated using linear-mixed models and presented as means adjusted for age and stratified by sex.

Results

In total, 6242 OTFRs were included, whereof 496 had T1D (332, 67% women) and 869 had T2D (451, 52% women). Women with T1D reported more symptoms of stiffness (P < 0.001), and women with T2D reported more pain on load (P < 0.05), motion without load (P < 0.01), and worse overall result at 3 months. At 12 months, however, no differences were found in any of the HQ-8 PROMs among men or women. Women with T2D had slightly higher QuickDASH scores at 3 and 12 months.

Conclusion

Patients with T1D and T2D can expect the same results after OTFR as individuals without DM, although the improvement might take longer especially among women with T2D.

Are the Pathologic Features of Enthesopathy, Tendinopathy, and Labral and Articular Disc Disease Related to Mucoid Degeneration? A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

Tendinopathy, enthesopathy, labral degeneration, and pathologic conditions of the articular disc (knee meniscus and ulnocarpal) are sometimes described in terms of inflammation or damage, while the histopathologic findings are often consistent with mucoid degeneration. A systematic review of the histopathology of these structures at diverse locations might reconceptualize these diseases as expected aspects of human aging. The potential benefits of this evolution might include healthier patient and clinician mindsets as well as a reduced likelihood of overdiagnosis and overtreatment resulting from greater awareness of base rates of pathology.

QUESTION/PURPOSE

In this systematic review of studies of surgical specimens, we asked: Are there are any differences in the histopathologic findings of structural soft tissue conditions (mucoid degeneration, inflammation, and vascularity) by anatomic site (foot, elbow, or knee) or structure (tendon body, muscle or tendon origin or insertion [enthesis], labrum, or articular disc)?

METHODS

Studies between 1980 and 2021 investigating the histopathologic findings of specimens from surgery for trigger digit, de Quervain tendinopathy, plantar fasciitis, lateral and medial elbow enthesopathy, rotator cuff tendinopathy, posterior tibial tendinopathy, patellar tendinopathy, Achilles tendinopathy, or disease of the hip labrum, ulnocarpal articular disc, or knee meniscus were searched for in the PubMed, EMBASE, and CINAHL databases. Inclusion criteria were the prespecified anatomic location or structure being analyzed histologically and any findings described with respect to inflammation, vascularity, or mucoid degeneration. Studies were excluded if they were nonhuman studies or review articles. Search terms included "anatomy," "pathology," and "histopathology." These terms were coupled with anatomic structures or disorders and included "trigger finger," "de Quervain," "fasciitis, plantar," "tennis elbow," "rotator cuff tendinopathy," "elbow tendinopathy," "patellar tendonitis," "posterior tibial tendon," and "triangular fibrocartilage." This resulted in 3196 studies. After applying the inclusion criteria, 559 articles were then assessed for eligibility according to our exclusion criteria, with 52 eventually included. We recorded whether the study identified the following histopathologic findings: inflammatory cells or molecular markers, greater than expected vascularity (categorized as quantitative count, with or without controls; molecular markers; or qualitative judgments), and features of mucoid degeneration (disorganized collagen, increased extracellular matrix, or chondroid metaplasia). In the absence of methods for systematically evaluating the pathophysiology of structural (collagenous) soft tissue structures and rating histopathologic study quality, all studies that interpreted histopathology results were included. The original authors' judgment regarding the presence or absence of inflammation, greater than expected vascularity, and elements of mucoid degeneration was recorded along with the type of data used to reach that conclusion.

RESULTS

Regarding differences in the histopathology of surgical specimens of structural soft tissue conditions by anatomic site, there were no differences in inflammation or mucoid degeneration, and the knee meniscus was less often described as having greater than normal vascularity. There were no differences by anatomic structure. Overall, 20% (10 of 51) of the studies that investigated for inflammation reported it (nine inflammatory cells and one inflammatory marker). Eighty-three percent (43 of 52) interpreted increased vascularity: 40% (17 of 43) using quantitative methods (14 with controls and three without) and 60% (26 of 43) using imprecise criteria. Additionally, 100% (all 52 studies) identified at least one element of mucoid degeneration: 69% (36 of 52) reported an increased extracellular matrix, 71% (37 of 52) reported disorganized collagen, and 33% (17 of 52) reported chondroid metaplasia.

CONCLUSION

Our systematic review of the histopathology of diseases of soft tissue structures (enthesopathy, tendinopathy, and labral and articular disc) identified consistent mucoid degeneration, minimal inflammation, and imprecise assessment of relative vascularity; these findings were consistent across anatomic sites and structures, supporting a reconceptualization of these diseases as related to aging (senescence or degeneration) rather than injury or activity.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

This reconceptualization supports accommodative mindsets known to be associated with greater comfort and capability. In addition, awareness of the notable base rates of structural soft tissue changes as people age might reduce overdiagnosis and overtreatment of incidental, benign, or inconsequential signal changes and pathophysiology.

Determinants of therapeutic success of corticoids injections in trigger finger syndrome

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Trigger finger is a frequent complaint in which corticosteroid infiltrations play a relevant therapeutic role in intermediate degrees of severity when conservative treatment has not worked. However, there are no criteria to select which patients will benefit most from this procedure. The present study aimed to identify the factors leading to the therapeutic success of corticosteroid infiltration in these patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We designed a prospective longitudinal study based on routine clinical practice with adult patients with a clinical diagnosis of trigger finger grade II or III on the Quinnell scale, who underwent an infiltration of 20 mg of triamcinolone acetate. The outcome variables were to achieve a Quinnell grade I or reduce the severity of the symptoms by at least one category two months after the procedure. To identify the determinants of complete or partial therapeutic success, binary logistic regression predictive modelling was performed using those variables that had a satisfactory univariate correlation.

RESULTS

74 patients were included over three years, 42 of whom (61.8%) were classified as Quinnell grade III. After infiltration, 22 (32.4%) achieved complete resolution and 50 (73.5%) partial resolution. The variables tendon thickening (HR 10.72; 95%CI 2.88-39.93; P < .001) and progression time (HR 1.23; 95%CI 1.02-1.49; P = .027) proved to be predictors of therapeutic success in complete resolution. For the modelling for partial resolution, the same variables proved to be determining predictors (HR 5.57; 95%CI 1.38-22.41; P = .016 and HR 1.18; 95%CI .99-1.41; P = .051, respectively). Pulley thickening did not demonstrate predictive ability in either model.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

Our results indicate that the demonstration of finger flexor apparatus thickening is the main determining factor for the success of corticosteroid infiltrations in this pathology. This is in agreement with the histological findings of specimens obtained from both tenosynovial and pulley tissue. In the former, in addition to an infiltrate of inflammatory characteristics, the presence of chondrocytoid cells producing hyaluronic acid is demonstrated. Although the therapeutic success of infiltrations in previous studies reaches 70%, the recurrence rate is similar after 12 months. The selection of patients with tendon thickening ensures therapeutic success in the short term, could reduce recurrence in the long term, and avoid delay in release surgery.

High HbA1c Levels Are Associated With Development of Trigger Finger in Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes: An Observational Register-Based Study From Sweden

OBJECTIVE

Trigger finger (TF) is a hand disorder causing the fingers to painfully lock in flexion. Diabetes is a known risk factor; however, whether strict glycemic control effectively lowers risk of TF is unknown. Our aim was to examine whether high HbA1c was associated with increased risk of TF among individuals with diabetes.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

The Swedish National Diabetes Register (NDR) was cross-linked with the health care register of the Region of Skåne in southern Sweden. In total, 9,682 individuals with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and 85,755 individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D) aged ≥18 years were included from 2004 to 2019. Associations between HbA1c and TF were calculated with sex-stratified, multivariate logistic regression models with 95% CIs, with adjustment for age, duration of diabetes, BMI, and systolic blood pressure.

RESULTS

In total, 486 women and 271 men with T1D and 1,143 women and 1,009 men with T2D were diagnosed with TF. Increased levels of HbA1c were associated with TF among individuals with T1D (women OR 1.26 [95% CI 1.1-1.4], P = 0.001, and men 1.4 [1.2-1.7], P < 0.001) and T2D (women 1.14 [95% CI 1.2-1.2], P < 0.001, and men 1.12 [95% CI 1.0-1.2], P = 0.003).

CONCLUSIONS

Hyperglycemia increases the risk of developing TF among individuals with T1D and T2D. Optimal treatment of diabetes seems to be of importance for prevention of diabetic hand complications such as TF.

Evaluation of the first annular pulley stretch effect under isometric contraction of the flexor tendon in healthy volunteers and trigger finger patients using ultrasonography

Background

Isometric exercises for a flexed finger have been reported to be effective for treating trigger finger as the flexor tendon widens the space under the first annular (A1) pulley towards the palmar destination during the exercise. This study aimed to evaluate the structural changes during the A1 pulley stretch in healthy volunteers and patients with trigger finger using ultrasonography.

Methods

We enrolled 25 male and 14 female patients (39 middle fingers). The thickness of the subcutaneous tissue (parameter a), A1 pulley (parameter b), and the flexor tendon (parameter c) and the distance between the dorsal surface of the flexor tendon and the palmar surface of the metacarpal head (parameter d) were measured using ultrasonography of the metacarpophalangeal joint of the middle finger flexed at 45° at rest (pattern A) and under isometric contraction of the flexor tendon against an extension force of the proximal interphalangeal joint (pattern B).

Results

The average differences between patterns A and B in the healthy volunteers were 0.29 mm (parameter a; P = 0.02), 0.017 mm (parameter b; P = 0.63), 0.16 (parameter c; P = 0.26), and 0.41 (parameter d; P = 0.004), and those in patients with trigger finger were 0.22 mm (parameter a; P = 0.23), 0.019 mm (parameter b; P = 0.85), 0.03 mm (parameter c; P = 0.82), and 0.78 mm (parameter d; P < 0.001). The distance between the dorsal side of the A1 pulley and the palmar surface of the metacarpal head was also significantly increased by 0.57 mm (8.2%) in healthy volunteers (P < 0.001) and 0.81 mm (11%) in patients with trigger finger (P < 0.001).

Conclusions

In this study, the space under the A1 pulley was expanded under isometric contraction of the flexor tendon. These findings support the effectiveness of pulley stretch exercises for the trigger finger condition.

Efficacy Comparison of Hyaluronic Acid and Corticosteroid Injection in Treatment of Trigger Digits: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: Although the current nonsurgical treatment for trigger digits is corticosteroid (CS) injection, it often comes with adverse effects that may cause some limitations. Currently, Hyaluronic acid (HA) has been successfully used in tendinopathy and may be used in stenosing tenosynovitis. The aim of this study is to compare the efficacy of ultrasound-guided injection between the HA and CS in trigger digits treatment. Methods: Double-blind randomized controlled trial was conducted. Fifty patients with 66 trigger digits were randomly assigned into an intervention group (1 ml of low-molecular weight HA) and a control group (1 ml of 10mg/ml triamcinolone acetate). The ultrasound-guided injection and local anesthesia (0.5 ml of 1% lidocaine without adrenaline) were used. The Quinnell grading, Visual Analog Scale (VAS) score of pain, Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) score and complications were collected at 1-, 3-and 6-month follow-up. Results: The mean age of HA group (33 digits) and CS group (33 digits) were 58.3 years and 54.7 years respectively. Nine patients were loss of follow-up (7 in HA group and 2 in CS group). The Quinnell grades have shown an improvement in both group. The CS group had a significant better improvement at 1-month (p-value < 0.001) and there was no significant difference at 3-and 6-month follow-up between the two groups. The median of VAS and DASH score were significantly improved by time in both groups (p-value < 0.01). The CS group showed a better significant improvement in early period of follow-up (p-value < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference between the two groups in the last follow-up. Conclusions: HA and CS injection has a comparable therapeutic effect in treatment of trigger digits. However, CS injection has higher efficacy of pain and inflammation reduction in the early phase of the disease.

A Critical Appraisal of Adult Trigger Finger: Pathophysiology, Treatment, and Future Outlook

Trigger finger (TF) is a common referral to a hand surgeon, with people with diabetess being the most at-risk population. Abnormal thickening, scarring, and inflammation occur at the A1 pulley and flexor tendon, and histological changes correlate well with the clinical severity of TF. Corticosteroid injections decrease the thickness of the A1 pulley and are considered a first-line treatment. However, corticosteroids are only moderately effective, especially for people with diabetes. Patients may elect for surgery if nonoperative treatments prove ineffective; some may choose immediate surgical release instead. To release the A1 pulley, patients have the option of an open or percutaneous approach. The open approach has a greater risk of infection and scar tissue formation in the short run but an overall superior long-term outcome compared with the percutaneous approach.

METHODS

We critically reviewed the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of the treatment methods for TF through a comprehensive search of the PubMed Database from 2003 to 2019.

RESULTS

To reduce costs, while still delivering the best possible care, it is critical to consider the likelihood of success for each treatment method in each subpopulation. Furthermore, some patients may need to return to work promptly, which ultimately may influence their desired treatment method.

CONCLUSIONS

Currently, there is no universal treatment algorithm for TF. From a purely financial standpoint, women without diabetes presenting with a single triggering thumb should attempt 2 corticosteroid trials before percutaneous release. It is the most cost-effective for all other subpopulations to elect for immediate percutaneous release.

Flexor Tendon Entrapment Caused by Intratendinous Tumor-Like Chronic Proliferative Tenosynovitis

The flexor tendon can be enlarged in chronic tenosynovitis, and it may sometimes trigger flexor tendon entrapment, but there have been no reports of its evaluation on preoperative imaging or postoperative pathologic examination. The case of a 54-year-old man who suffered flexor tendon entrapment due to intratendinous tumor-like tissue between the first and second annular pulleys, which was identified on magnetic resonance imaging preoperatively, is described. Ulnar superficialis slip resection and reduction flexor tenoplasty of flexor digitorum profundus were effective procedures for the release of flexor tendon entrapment under wide-awake surgery with local anesthesia. On postoperative pathologic examination, chondroid metaplasia was identified, in association with infiltration of chondrocytes and inflammatory cells into the flexor tendon fibers and tenosynovium. Preoperative imaging was useful in a case of chronic or severe tenosynovitis to assess the condition of flexor tendons, and wide-awake surgery was the appropriate procedure for the treatment of this case.

Hand, foot, and spine deformities in parkinsonian disorders

Hand and foot deformities, known as "striatal deformities", and other musculoskeletal abnormalities such as dropped head, bent spine, camptocormia, scoliosis and Pisa syndrome, are poorly understood and often misdiagnosed features of Parkinson's disease and other parkinsonian syndromes. These deformities share some similarities with known rheumatologic conditions and can be wrongly diagnosed as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, psoriatic arthritis, Dupuytren's contracture, trigger finger, or other rheumatologic or orthopedic conditions. Neurologists, rheumatologists, and other physicians must be familiar with these deformities to prevent misdiagnosis and unnecessary diagnostic tests, and to recommend appropriate treatment options.

Hallux saltans due to stenosing tenosynovitis of flexor hallucis longus: dynamic sonography and arthroscopic findings

Triggering of the toes is rare, with isolated cases reported in the literature involving predominantly the flexor hallucis longus (FHL) tendon, a condition known as "hallux saltans" (HS). We report the dynamic sonographic findings of a 42-year-old female with a 2-month history of ankle pain and triggering of right hallux, consistent with HS. Sonography demonstrated tenosynovitis and focal thickening of FHL at the level of hindfoot, with a fibrous band adjacent to the tendon. Dynamic ultrasound showed triggering and snapping of FHL tendon during hallux flexion and extension, respectively. We present comprehensive documentation of this rare entity, including sonographic still images and cine clips, as well as correlation with arthroscopic surgical findings.

Acupuncture for the treatment of trigger finger in adults: a prospective case series

OBJECTIVE

To determine the effect of acupuncture performed at the synovial and ligamentous tendon sheath (A1 pulley site) on pain during snapping and the severity of the snapping phenomenon in patients with trigger finger.

METHODS

In this observational study, changes in the patients' condition were compared before and after acupuncture treatment. Acupuncture was performed on 19 fingers of 15 patients. Acupuncture needles were inserted into the radial and ulnar sides of the flexor tendon at the A1 pulley of the affected finger. Treatment was performed daily up to a maximum of five times. Before and after each treatment, pain during snapping and the severity of snapping were evaluated using a visual analogue scale (VAS).

RESULTS

VAS scores for pain and snapping severity were significantly improved immediately after the first treatment (p<0.001). Pain during snapping, assessed before each treatment, improved over time, reaching statistical significance from the second treatment onwards (p<0.001); similarly, a significant improvement in the severity of snapping was observed, also from the second treatment (p<0.001). Patients with clinically significant improvements (≥50%) in pain and snapping severity had a significantly shorter duration of the disorder than those with <50% improvement (p<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Acupuncture at the impaired A1 pulley site may be an effective treatment for trigger finger. We postulate that acupuncture may reduce inflammation/swelling of the synovial membrane of the tendon sheath, which predominates when the disorder is of short duration. Further research is required to confirm the efficacy/effectiveness of acupuncture for trigger finger and its mechanisms of action.

The thickness of the A2 pulley and the flexor tendon are related to the severity of trigger finger: results of a prospective study using high-resolution ultrasonography

We aimed to investigate the relationship between the pulley-tendon complexes and the severity of trigger finger. The thickness of the A1 and A2 pulleys, and the cross-sectional area of the flexor tendon under the pulleys, were prospectively assessed using 17 MHz high-resolution ultrasonography, in 20 patients with trigger finger (31 fingers). A control group comprised 15 asymptomatic fingers. The thickness of the A1 pulley and the proximal part of the A2 pulley, and the cross-sectional area of the flexor tendon under the A2 pulley, were significantly increased in the patient group. Clinical grade was significantly correlated with the thickness of the A1 pulley, the thickness of the proximal part of the A2 pulley, and the cross-sectional area of the flexor tendon under the proximal part of the A2 pulley. This study confirmed that the thickness of the A2 pulley and flexor tendon under the A2 pulley seems to be related to the severity of trigger finger.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCES

Level III.

Inflammation in Tendon Disorders

The role of inflammation in tendon disorders has long been a subject of considerable debate. Developments in our understanding of the basic science of inflammation have provided further insight into its potential role in specific forms of tendon disease, and the circumstances that may potentiate this. Such circumstances include excessive mechanical stresses on tendon and the presence of systemic inflammation associated with chronic diseases. In this chapter a brief review of the basic science of inflammation is provided and the influence that it may play on tendons is discussed.

Ultrasound-Guided Hyaluronic Acid Injections for Trigger Finger: A Double-Blinded, Randomized Controlled Trial

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the effects of ultrasound-guided injections of hyaluronic acid (HA) versus steroid for trigger fingers in adults.

DESIGN

Prospective, double-blinded, randomized controlled study.

SETTING

Tertiary care center.

PARTICIPANTS

Subjects with a diagnosis of trigger finger (N=36; 39 affected digits) received treatment and were evaluated.

INTERVENTIONS

Subjects were randomly assigned to HA and steroid injection groups. Both study medications were injected separately via ultrasound guidance with 1 injection.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The classification of trigger grading, pain, functional disability, and patient satisfaction were evaluated before the injection and 3 weeks and 3 months after the injection.

RESULTS

At 3 months, 12 patients (66.7%) in the HA group and 17 patients (89.5%) in the steroid group exhibited no triggering of the affected fingers (P=.124). The treatment results at 3 weeks and 3 months showed similar changes in the Quinnell scale (P=.057 and .931, respectively). A statistically significant interaction effect between group and time was found for visual analog scale (VAS) and Michigan Hand Outcome Questionnaire (MHQ) evaluation (P<.05). The steroid group had a lower VAS at 3 months after injection (steroid 0.5±1.1 vs HA 2.7±2.4; P<.001). The HA group demonstrated continuing significant improvement in MHQ at 3 months (change from 3wk: steroid -2.6±14.1 vs HA 19.1±37.0; P=.023; d=.78).

CONCLUSIONS

Ultrasound-guided injection of HA demonstrated promising results for the treatment of trigger fingers. The optimal frequency, dosage, and molecular weight of HA injections for trigger fingers deserve further investigation for future clinical applications.

MR imaging findings of trigger thumb

Trigger finger (or trigger thumb), also known as sclerosing tenosynovitis, is a common clinical diagnosis that rarely presents for imaging. Because of this selection bias, many radiologists may not be familiar with the process. Furthermore, patients who do present for imaging frequently have misleading examination indications. To our knowledge, magnetic resonance (MR) imaging findings of trigger thumb have not been previously reported in the literature. In this article, we review the entity of trigger thumb, the anatomy involved, and associated imaging findings, which include flexor pollicis longus tendinosis with a distinct nodule, A1 pulley thickening, and tenosynovitis. In addition, in some cases, an abnormal Av pulley is apparent. In the rare cases of trigger finger that present for MR imaging, accurate diagnosis by the radiologist can allow initiation of treatment and avoid further unnecessary workup.