SYNOVIAL JOINTS - EVALUATION OF INTRAARTICULAR BODIES WITH US

PURPOSE: To determine the efficacy of ultrasonography (US) for the det ection of intraarticular bodies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: US was preform ed in 280 patients with symptoms in various appendicular joints by usi ng 5.0-, 7.5-, or 10.0-MHz transducers. Three patients also underwent US with intraarticular saline infusion. US findings were confirmed at surgery in 61 patients. RESULTS: In the 61 patients with surgical corr elation, sonograms were positive in 39 and did not shoe intraarticular bodies in 22. Surgical results confirmed 37 of the positive and all o f the negative sonograms. Sensitivity and specificity of US were 100% and 95%, respectively. CONCLUSION: US is an accurate method for identi fication of intraarticular bodies.