THE USE OF ULTRASONOGRAPHY IN DETECTION OF SYNOVITIS IN CARPAL-TUNNELSYNDROME

The findings of pre-operative ultrasonography of the carpal tunnel wer e compared with synovial histology in 50 surgically treated wrists wit h carpal tunnel syndrome. Eight wrists with a massive hypoechoic area (group 3) had synovitis. 28 with a minimal hypoechoic area (group 1) h ad no evidence of inflammation. 14 with a moderately increased hypoech oic area (group 2) consisted of three with synovitis, four with lympho cytic infiltration and seven without inflammation. Group 3 strongly in dicates synovitis, in which case one should consider aetiology other t han the idiopathic cause. Bilateral synovial thickening suggests carpa l tunnel syndrome as the initial clinical picture of rheumatoid arthri tis, and group 1 indicates idiopathic carpal tunnel syndrome provided that there are no primary causes.