Sonographic diagnosis of distal biceps tendon rupture - A prospective study of 25 cases

Objective. To describe the sonographic findings of distal biceps tendon rup tures and to assess the accuracy of the technique. Methods. Twenty-five pat ients with clinically indicated distal biceps tendon ruptures were prospect ively studied by sonography. Five patients also underwent magnetic resonanc e imaging. Surgical confirmation was obtained in 14 patients. Results. Seve nteen complete tendon ruptures and 3 partial tears were correctly shown by sonography; 1 complete rupture was incorrectly shown as a partial tear by s onography. Sonographic features of complete rupture were absence of tendon in the expected location, fluid collection in a typical tendon gap, and a m ass in the antecubital fossa. Sonographic features of incomplete rupture we re intratendinous hypoechogenicity and tendon thinning. Peritendinous fluid was found in complete and incomplete ruptures. Conclusions. In distal bice ps tendon ruptures, sonography is a cost-effective method that can confirm the clinical indications with good accuracy and can show tendon lesions whe n the clinical indications are low.