MDCT arthrography features of ulnocarpal impaction syndrome

Society of Skeletal Radiology- white paper. Guidelines for the diagnostic management of incidental solitary bone lesions on CT and MRI in adults: bone reporting and data system (Bone-RADS)

The purpose of this article is to present algorithms for the diagnostic management of solitary bone lesions incidentally encountered on computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MRI) in adults. Based on review of the current literature and expert opinion, the Practice Guidelines and Technical Standards Committee of the Society of Skeletal Radiology (SSR) proposes a bone reporting and data system (Bone-RADS) for incidentally encountered solitary bone lesions on CT and MRI with four possible diagnostic management recommendations (Bone-RADS1, leave alone; Bone-RADS2, perform different imaging modality; Bone-RADS3, perform follow-up imaging; Bone-RADS4, biopsy and/or oncologic referral). Two algorithms for CT based on lesion density (lucent or sclerotic/mixed) and two for MRI allow the user to arrive at a specific Bone-RADS management recommendation. Representative cases are provided to illustrate the usability of the algorithms.

The Traumatized TFCC: An Illustrated Review of the Anatomy and Injury Patterns of the Triangular Fibrocartilage Complex

The triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) plays an important role in wrist biomechanics and is prone to traumatic and degenerative injury, making it a common source of ulnar-sided wrist pain. Because of this, the TFCC is frequently imaged, and a detailed understanding of its anatomy and injury patterns is critical in generating an accurate report to help guide treatment. In this review, we provide a detailed overview of TFCC anatomy, its normal appearance on magnetic resonance imaging, the spectrum of TFCC injuries based on the Palmer classification system, and pitfalls in accurate assessment.

Association between distal ulnar morphology and extensor carpi ulnaris tendon pathology

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between distal ulnar morphology and extensor carpi ulnaris (ECU) tendon pathology.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed 71 adult wrist MRI studies with ECU tendon pathology (tenosynovitis, tendinopathy, or tear), and/or ECU subluxation. Subjects did not have a history of trauma, surgery, infection, or inflammatory arthritis. MRI studies from 46 subjects without ECU tendon pathology or subluxation were used as controls. The following morphological parameters of the distal ulna were measured independently by two readers: ulnar variance relative to radius, ulnar styloid process length, ECU groove depth and length. Subjects and controls were compared using Student's t test. Inter-observer agreement (ICC) was calculated.

RESULTS

There was a significant correlation between negative ulnar variance and ECU tendon pathology (reader 1 [R1], P = 0.01; reader 2 [R2], P < 0.0001; R1 and R2 averaged data, P < 0.0001) and ECU tendon subluxation (P = 0.001; P = 0.0001; P < 0.0001). In subjects with ECU tendon subluxation there was also a trend toward a shorter length (P = 0.3; P <0.0001; P = 0.001) and a shallower ECU groove (P = 0.01; P = 0.03; P = 0.01; R1 and R2 averaged data with Bonferroni correction, P = 0.08). ECU groove depth (P = 0.6; P = 0.8; P = 0.9) and groove length (P = 0.1; P = 0.4; P = 0.7) showed no significant correlation with ECU tendon pathology, and length of the ulnar styloid process showed no significant correlation with ECU tendon pathology (P = 0.2; P = 0.3; P = 0.2) or subluxation (P = 0.4; P = 0.5; P = 0.5). Inter-observer agreement (ICC) was >0.64 for all parameters.

CONCLUSION

Distal ulnar morphology may be associated with ECU tendon abnormalities.

Reconstructed animation from four-phase grip MRI of the wrist with ulnar-sided pain

In order to visualize dynamic variations related to ulnar-sided wrist pain, animation was reconstructed from T2* coronal-sectioned magnetic resonance imaging in each of the four phases of grip motion for nine wrists in patients with ulnar pain. Eight of the nine wrists showed a positive ulnar variance of less than 2 mm. Ulnocarpal impaction and triangular fibrocartilage complex injury were assessed on the basis of animation and arthroscopy, respectively. Animation revealed ulnocarpal impaction in four wrists. In one of the four wrists, the torn portion of the articular disc was impinged between the ulnar head and ulnar proximal side of the lunate. In another wrist, the ulnar head impacted the lunate directly through the defect in the articular disc that had previously been excised. An ulnar shortening osteotomy successfully relieved ulnar wrist pain in all four cases with both ulnocarpal impaction and Palmer's Class II triangular fibrocartilage complex tears. This method demonstrated impairment of the articular disc and longitudinal instability of the distal radioulnar joint simultaneously and should be of value in investigating dynamic pathophysiology causing ulnar wrist pain.