Role of ultrasonography in assessment of painful ankle

Abstract

Abstract Background Ankle disorders are a relatively common pathological condition, and ankle injuries account for approximately 14% of sports-related orthopedic emergency visits. Various imaging modalities can be used to make a diagnosis in cases of ankle pain; however, ultrasound (US) has several benefits for the evaluation of ankle pain, especially in the tendons, ligaments, and nerves of the ankle. Aim of the work to assess the role of high resolution US as a valuable tool in the depiction of causes of ankle joint pain. Patient & methods our study is a cross sectional descriptive screening study including 25 patients with ankle joint pain (acute or chronic), post traumatic or not with no age or sex predilection. Results The study included 15 (60%) males and 10 (40%) females. Their age ranged from 10 to 60 years with a mean age of 33.84±13.31years. Chronic ankle pain was the most common presenting symptom in 15 patients (60%) whereas 10 (40%) patients presented with acute ankle pain after trauma. The posterior ankle compartment was the most common affected compartment (24%) of cases. About 7 cases (28%) were presented by ankle swelling with or without pain. Conclusion In conclusion, MSK US is useful in detecting the underlying causes of ankle pain and still it has the potential to offer more valuable data if it is well mastered by the sonographers.