Ultrasonography of the Osgood-Schlatter disease

Aim: The aim of our study was to asses the value of ultrasound in the diagn osis of M. Osgood-Schlatter. The results of the primary ultrasound examinat ion were compared with the use of X-ray. Method: 15 patients were included in our study (average age 11 - 17 years, 8 female, 7 male). All patients ge t an X-ray of the knee in two or three images. There was a reference-group of 10 patients with 20 joints (average age 11 - 14 years). Results: We obse rved typical sonographic images in different stages of M. Osgood-Schlatter. The changes depended on the duration of the disease. In every case we foun d a thickness of the patellar tendon of more than 1 mm (stage I and 11), a bursitis infrapatellaris (stage 11) and a fragmentation of the cortical bon e of the apophysis (stage 11). In cases of stage III disease a thickness of the patellar tendon of less than 1 mm was to be seen. In healthy people th e average thickness of the patella tendon was 4.8 mm (3.5 - 5.7 mm). The ma ximal difference between the left and the right side was 0.4 mm. Conclusion s: With the use ultrasound in cases of M. Osgood-Schlatter a reduced exposu re of children to X-ray is possible. Ultrasound examination is a clear and easy way to diagnose the disease correctly and evaluate its course and cure .