A 77 year old female referred to physical therapy with 1 month insidious onset of L elbow pain. Patient reports she thinks she has tennis elbow and denies cervical pain or radicular symptoms. The patient denies any neurologic symptoms and patient notes pain with reaching overhead and bending/straightening her elbow.
Images obtained from diagnostic musculoskeletal ultrasound indicate a joint effusion posteriorly at humeroulnar joint that is seen with active range of motion of elbow flexion. No loose bodies present. There is cortical irregularity at humeroulnar and humeroradial joints indicative of osteoarthritis. No apparent defect noted in wrist extensor origin on the affected elbow.
Additionally, with power doppler imaging hyperemia is visualized in the joint capsule and recess indicative of an acute inflammatory process.
In this case we see that diagnostic musculoskeletal ultrasound was able to diagnose a joint effusion as well as osteoarthritis and rule out any pathology within the common wrist extensor origin. Additionally, an acute synovitis is able to be diagnosed with the presence of hyperemia on power doppler imaging.
Doctor of Physical Therapy, Registered in Musculoskeletal Sonography, Certified Orthopedic Manual Therapist, Certified Lymphedema Therapist, Certified in Vestibular Assessment and Management, and Founder of Mobile Therapy Services
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