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The Society of Radiologists in Ultrasound convened a panel of specialists from radiology, orthopedic surgery, and pathology to arrive at a consensus regarding the management of superficial soft-tissue masses imaged with US. The recommendations in this statement are based on analysis of current literature and common practice strategies. This statement reviews and illustrates the US features of common superficial soft-tissue lesions that may manifest as a soft-tissue mass and suggests guidelines for subsequent management., (© RSNA, 2022.)

Purpose To evaluate a combined imaging approach with both ultrasonography (US; conventional US and valgus stress US) and magnetic resonance (MR) arthrography in baseball players with medial elbow pain. Materials and Methods Institutional review board approval was obtained and the requirement for informed consent was waived. The study is compliant with HIPAA. Baseball players with medial elbow pain underwent US in addition to MR arthrography. Findings were assessed with each modality alone and both combined in this retrospective investigation. For the evaluation of ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) tears with stress US, the interval gapping of the medial elbow joint was measured between rest and valgus stress both at the injured and at the uninjured (contralateral) elbow. Surgical or arthroscopic correlation was available as the so-called gold standard. McNemar tests compared the accuracies of the imaging modalities. Results In this study, 144 baseball players had 191 findings of medial elbow pain, including 53 UCL tears. With stress US, joint gapping at the injured elbow greater than 1.0 mm compared with the contralateral elbow yielded a sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 96%, 81%, and 87%, respectively, for diagnosing UCL tears. With MR arthrography, the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for UCL tears were 81%, 91%, and 88%, respectively, and increased to 96% (P = .013, McNemar test), 99% (P = .023), and 98% (P < .001), respectively, when combined with US to a dual modality MR and US approach. For 31 patients with ulnar neuritis, the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy increased from 74%, 92%, and 88%, respectively, with MR arthrography alone to 90% (P = .07, McNemar test), 100% (P < .001), and 98% (P < .001) combined with US. For the 59 myotendinous and the 48 osteochondral diagnoses, the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy with MR arthrography alone were 93%, 93%, and 93%, and 94%, 98%, and 97%, respectively, with no additional diagnostic value from US. Conclusion The combined approach with both MR arthrography and US shows higher accuracy than each modality alone for the assessment of medial elbow pain. (©) RSNA, 2016.

The elbow, a synovial hinge joint, is a common site of disease. Ultrasonography (US) has become an important imaging modality for evaluating pathologic conditions of the elbow. This powerful imaging tool has the advantages of outstanding spatial resolution, clinical correlation with direct patient interaction, dynamic assessment of disease, and the ability to guide interventions. Unlike most other imaging modalities, US allows the contralateral elbow to be imaged simultaneously, providing an internal control and comparison with normal anatomy. A useful approach to US evaluation of the elbow is to divide it into four compartments: anterior, lateral, medial, and posterior. US of the elbow has varied clinical applications, including evaluation and treatment of lateral and medial epicondylitis, imaging of biceps and triceps musculotendinous injuries, evaluation of ulnar collateral ligament laxity, diagnosis of joint effusions and intraarticular bodies, and evaluation of peripheral nerves for neuropathy and subluxation. US can also be used to evaluate soft-tissue masses about the elbow. Knowledge of the normal US anatomy of the elbow, familiarity with the technique of elbow US, and awareness of the US appearances of common pathologic conditions of the elbow along with their potential treatment options will optimize radiologists' diagnostic assessment and improve patient care. Supplemental material available at http://radiographics.rsna.org/lookup/suppl/doi:10.1148/rg.334125059/-/DC1., (©RSNA, 2013.)

The Society of Radiologists in Ultrasound convened a panel of specialists from a variety of medical disciplines to reach a consensus about the recommended imaging evaluation of painful shoulders with clinically suspected rotator cuff disease. The panel met in Chicago, Ill, on October 18 and 19, 2011, and created this consensus statement regarding the roles of radiography, ultrasonography (US), computed tomography (CT), CT arthrography, magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, and MR arthrography. The consensus panel consisted of two co-moderators, a facilitator, a statistician and health care economist, and 10 physicians who have specialty expertise in shoulder pain evaluation and/or treatment. Of the 13 physicians on the panel, nine were radiologists who were chosen to represent a broad range of skill sets in diagnostic imaging, different practice types (private and academic), and different geographical regions of the United States. Five of the radiologists routinely performed musculoskeletal US as part of their practice and four did not. There was also one representative from each of the following clinical specialties: rheumatology, physical medicine and rehabilitation, orthopedic surgery, and nonoperative sports medicine. The goal of this conference was to construct several algorithms with which to guide the imaging evaluation of suspected rotator cuff disease in patients with a native rotator cuff, patients with a repaired rotator cuff, and patients who have undergone shoulder replacement. The panel hopes that these recommendations will lead to greater uniformity in rotator cuff imaging and more cost-effective care for patients suspected of having rotator cuff abnormality., (© RSNA, 2013.)

Purpose: To determine the sensitivity and specificity of ultrasonography (US) in the detection of lateral epicondylitis and identify the US findings that are most strongly associated with symptoms., Materials and Methods: Internal review board approval was obtained for retrospective review of the patient images, and the need for informed consent was waived. Internal review board approval was also obtained for scanning the 10 volunteers, all of whom gave informed consent. The study was compliant with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. US of the common extensor tendon was performed in 20 elbows in 10 asymptomatic volunteers (six men, four women; age range, 22-38 years; mean age, 29.6 years) and 37 elbows in 22 patients with symptoms of lateral epicondylitis (10 men, 12 women; age range, 30-59 years; mean age, 46 years). Fifty-seven representative images, one from each elbow, were randomly assorted and interpreted by three independent readers who rated each common extensor tendon as normal or abnormal. Abnormal images were further classified as demonstrating one or more of eight US findings. Readers interpreted each image at two separate sessions to determine intrareader variability. The authors calculated the sensitivity and specificity of US in the diagnosis of lateral epicondylitis and the odds ratio for each US finding. Odds ratios were considered statistically significant at P < .05 when 95% confidence intervals did not include one., Results: Sensitivities of US in the detection of symptomatic lateral epicondylitis ranged from 72% to 88% and specificities from 36% to 48.5%. Odds ratios for the following findings were statistically significant (P < .05) for both reading sessions: calcification of common extensor tendon, tendon thickening, adjacent bone irregularity, focal hypoechoic regions, and diffuse heterogeneity. Odds ratios for lateral epicondyle enthesophytes were statistically significant (P < .05) for the first reading session only. Odds ratios for linear intrasubstance tears and peritendinous fluid were not statistically significant., Conclusion: US of the common extensor tendon had high sensitivity but low specificity in the detection of symptomatic lateral epicondylitis. The relationship between symptoms and intratendinous calcification, tendon thickening, adjacent bone irregularity, focal hypoechoic regions, and diffuse heterogeneity was statistically significant., (RSNA, 2005)

Purpose: To determine whether dynamic ultrasonography (US) can reveal abnormalities of the anterior band of the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) of the elbow in asymptomatic major league professional baseball players., Materials and Methods: US was performed in 26 asymptomatic major league professional baseball pitchers before spring training. Images were obtained in both pitching and nonpitching arms with a multifrequency 13-MHz linear-array transducer. The thickness of the anterior band of the UCL and the width of the joint it spans (the ulnohumeral joint) were measured with the elbow at 30 degrees of flexion, both at rest and with valgus stress. The thickness of the anterior band of the UCL and the width of the joint space were compared for pitching and nonpitching arms by using the Student t test. The prevalence of hypoechoic areas and calcifications within the anterior band of the UCL in pitching and nonpitching arms was compared by using the McNemar test. The average time of the US examinations was recorded., Results: At rest, the mean thickness (+/- 1 SD) of the anterior band of the UCL was 6.3 mm +/- 1.1 in pitching arms and 5.3 mm +/- 1.0 in nonpitching arms. This difference was statistically significant (P <.01). With stress, the anterior band thickness was 6.3 mm +/- 1.4 in the pitching arms and 4.8 mm +/- 0.9 in the nonpitching arms (P <.001). The joint space width at rest was 2.8 mm +/- 1.0 in the pitching arms and 2.5 mm +/- 0.7 in the nonpitching arms (not statistically significant). When stress was applied, however, the joint space width was significantly greater in the pitching arms than in the nonpitching arms (4.2 mm +/- 1.5 vs 3 mm +/- 1.0, respectively; P <.01). Hypoechoic foci within the anterior band of the UCL were seen in 18 of 26 (69%) pitching arms and three of 26 (12%) nonpitching arms (P <.001). Calcifications were detected in nine of 26 (35%) pitching arms but in none of the nonpitching arms (P <.001). The average time for bilateral US was 10.4 minutes., Conclusion: Dynamic US provides a rapid means for evaluating the anterior band of the UCL in professional baseball pitchers. In pitching arms, this band is thicker, is more likely to have hypoechoic foci and/or calcifications, and demonstrates more laxity with valgus stress.

Purpose: To evaluate cancer detection with targeted biopsy of the prostate performed on the basis of high-frequency Doppler ultrasonographic (US) imaging findings versus cancer detection with a modified sextant biopsy approach with laterally directed cores., Materials and Methods: Sixty-two patients were prospectively evaluated with gray-scale, color, and power Doppler transrectal US performed with patients in the lithotomy position. Gray-scale and Doppler findings within each sextant were rated on a five-point scale. Up to four targeted biopsy specimens were obtained from each patient on the basis of Doppler findings; this was followed by a modified sextant biopsy. Conditional logistic regression analysis was performed to compare the positive yields for targeted and sextant biopsy specimens. Clustered receiver operating characteristic analysis was performed to compare gray-scale, color, and power Doppler detection of cancer at sextant biopsy sites., Results: Cancer was detected in 18 (29%) of 62 patients, including 11 patients in whom cancer was detected with both sextant and targeted biopsy, six in whom cancer was detected only with sextant biopsy, and one in whom cancer was detected only with targeted biopsy. The positive biopsy rate for targeted biopsy (24 [13%] of 185 cores) was slightly higher than that for sextant biopsy (36 [9.7%] of 372 cores; P =.1). The odds ratio for cancer detection with targeted versus sextant cores was 1.8 (95% CI: 0.9, 3.7). Receiver operating characteristic analysis demonstrated that overall identification of positive sextant biopsy sites was close to random chance for gray-scale (area under the curve, 0.53), color Doppler (area under the curve, 0.50), and power Doppler (area under the curve, 0.47) imaging., Conclusion: Targeted biopsy performed on the basis of high-frequency color or power Doppler findings will miss a substantial number of cancers detected with sextant biopsy.

Purpose: To evaluate cancer detection with directed biopsy of the prostate on the basis of high-frequency Doppler ultrasonographic (US) findings, and to determine the effect of patient position on the observed flow pattern., Materials and Methods: Thirty-two patients were evaluated in the left lateral decubitus position with gray-scale, color Doppler, and power Doppler transrectal US. Up to four directed biopsy specimens were obtained on the basis of gray-scale and Doppler US findings, and modified sextant biopsy followed. Analysis of variance and the Wilcoxon signed rank test were used to evaluate the distribution of Doppler signals within the prostate. Three healthy volunteers with no known prostate disease were also examined in supine and both decubitus positions., Results: In the patient group, both color and power Doppler US demonstrated increased flow on the left side of the prostate, with greater flow toward the base of the gland (P <.002). Consequently, 62 of 90 directed-biopsy cores were obtained in the left base and mid-gland. The positive biopsy rate for directed biopsy was not significantly different from that of sextant biopsy (P =.4). Seven patients had cancer that was identified with sextant biopsy, but only four cancers were identified with directed biopsy. Each of the three healthy volunteers demonstrated increased Doppler flow on the dependent side when the subject was in the lateral decubitus position., Conclusion: The positive yield of directed biopsy was similar to the yield of sextant biopsy. On the basis of observations made in healthy volunteers, the authors conclude that flow asymmetry in patients who underwent biopsy may have been related to patient position.

Purpose: To investigate whether measurements of hepatic metastases from colorectal carcinoma before contrast material administration are significantly different statistically from measurements after contrast material administration., Materials and Methods: Twenty-four patients with hepatic metastases from colorectal carcinoma underwent spiral computed tomography (CT) with 7-mm collimation. The liver was imaged before and in the portal-dominant phase after intravenous contrast material administration. For each scan, one to three discrete liver lesions were selected for measurement (n = 49). Three experienced radiologists performed independent measurements of the selected lesions on both pre- and postcontrast images at a computer workstation. A three-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed: subjects by raters (the three independent radiologists) by pre- or postcontrast status. The dependent variable was the product of bidimensional measurements., Results: Sixty-seven percent (33 of 49) of the lesions were measured as larger on precontrast images; 33% (16 of 49), as smaller. There was high interrater reliability, with an intraclass correlation coefficient greater than 0.9 ANOVA showed significant subject, rater, and contrast material effects (P < .001) for the largest lesions in each liver. Contrast material status was a significant factor for all lesion sizes (P < .003)., Conclusion: On average, hepatic metastases from colorectal carcinoma are significantly smaller after contrast material administration.

Purpose: To compare results of helical computed tomographic (CT) angiography with real-time interactive volume rendering (VR) to CT angiography with maximum intensity projection (MIP) for the detection of renal artery stenosis., Materials and Methods: Twenty-five patients underwent both conventional and CT angiography of the renal arteries. Images were blindly reviewed after rendering with MIP and VR algorithms. MIP images were viewed in conjunction with axial CT images; VR models were evaluated in real time at the workstation without CT images. Findings in 50 main and 11 accessory renal arteries were categorized as normal or by degree of stenosis., Results: All arteries depicted on conventional angiograms were visualized on MIP and VR images. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis for MIP and VIR images demonstrated excellent discrimination for the diagnosis of stenosis of at least 50% (area under the ROC curve, 0.96-0.99). Although sensitivity was not significantly different for VR and MIP (89% vs 94%, P > .1), specificity was greater with VR (99% vs 87%, P = .008 to .08). Stenosis of at least 50% was overestimated with CT angiography in four accessory renal arteries, but three accessory renal arteries not depicted at conventional angiography were depicted at CT angiography., Conclusion: In the evaluation of renal artery stenosis, CT angiography with VR is faster and more accurate than CT angiography with MIP. Accessory arteries not depicted with conventional angiography were depicted with both CT angiographic algorithms.

Purpose: To determine the effects of level of training and other factors on the rate of discrepant interpretation of emergency body computed tomographic (CT) scans by trainees and staff radiologists., Materials and Methods: Five hundred ninety-eight consecutive emergency CT studies were prospectively interpreted by radiology residents or board-certified body imaging fellows over a 12-month period. Each interpretation was reviewed within 12 hours by an attending body CT radiologist. Major discrepancies between staff radiologists' and trainees' interpretations were defined and those with the potential to affect immediate patient therapy; minor discrepancies were defined ad those without such potential. The effects on discrepancy rates were examined for abnormal versus normal CT findings and trauma versus nontrauma cases., Results: Major and minor discrepancy rates were 1.2% and 6.5%, respectively, between interpretations made by the trainee and the staff radiologist. Overall, fellows demonstrated statistically significantly lower discrepancy rates than did senior of junior residents (5.9%, 13.7%, and 13.3%, respectively). The discrepancy rate was higher when CT findings were abnormal than when they were normal (13.5% vs 2.6%). There were no differences between discrepancy rates for trauma and nontrauma cases., Conclusion: Experience appeared to decrease discrepancy rates. Trainees were more likely to miss findings than to read normal scans as abnormal.

Purpose: To evaluate the impact of superficial ultrasonography (US) on clinical management of melanoma., Materials and Methods: Superficial US in areas at high risk for local recurrence or nodal metastases was performed in 33 patients with cutaneous melanoma. Impact categories were assigned to each US study (n = 55): category 3, US added information that altered clinical management; category 2, US added information that did not change management; category 1, no added information and management unchanged; category 0, not helpful or was misleading., Results: Twenty-two US studies (40%) were category 3: detection of nonpalpable metastases altered surgical therapy (n = 2), demonstration of pharmacodynamic response to chemotherapy (n = 5), and determination of benignancy or malignancy (n = 15). Nine (16%) were category 2: identification of nonpalpable metastases did not alter management. Twenty-two (40%) were category 1: supported clinical impression of no metastases (n = 18) or helped confirm cutaneous, subcutaneous, or nodal metastases (n = 4). Two (4%) were category 0: missed proved metastases., Conclusion: Superficial US affected management of melanoma by allowing detection and characterization of masses, guidance of biopsy, and assessment of pharmacodynamic response.

Purpose: To determine the amount and distribution of synovial fluid detectable with ultrasonography (US) of the hindfoot and ankle in asymptomatic volunteers., Materials and Methods: US was performed with a 7.5- or 10-MHz linear transducer of 60 hindfeet and ankles in 30 volunteers. Presence and amount of fluid were assessed in the ankle joint recesses, adjacent bursae, and tendon sheaths. Symmetry of bilateral fluid was evaluated., Results: Fluid was detected in the anterior recess in 20 ankles (bilaterally in eight volunteers), retrocalcaneal bursa in 30 ankles (bilaterally in 12 volunteers), posterior tibial tendon sheath in 46 ankles (bilaterally in 19 volunteers), and common peroneal tendon sheath in seven ankles (bilaterally in three volunteers). No fluid was seen in the posterior recess. On average, symmetry was present for only the retrocalcaneal bursal and peroneal tendon sheath fluid., Conclusion: US of the hindfoot and ankle commonly depicts articular, bursal, and tendon sheath fluid in asymptomatic volunteers. The presence of fluid in these locations, even when unilateral or asymmetric, does not necessarily imply underlying abnormality.

Purpose: To evaluate a semiflexible ultrasound (US) transducer inserted through a laparoscopic port to image abdominal structures., Materials and Methods: Laparoscopic US with a 9.6-mm-diameter, 5.0-7.5-MHz semiflexible transducer with gray-scale, color, and spectral Doppler capabilities was performed in three miniature swine and in 25 patients with a variety of abdominal abnormalities., Results: This miniature US probe was used to locate normal structures such as blood vessels, allowing the surgeon to decide the best approach for dissection. Color and spectral Doppler US proved especially useful in differentiating vascular from nonvascular structures. The presence or absence of stones in the gallbladder and common bile duct was readily determined. It was possible to detect masses and to provide guidance for their aspiration or biopsy within abdominal organs. In 10 cases (40%), laparoscopic US helped the surgeon make the decision for clinical management and altered the surgical procedures., Conclusion: Laparoscopic US was useful in assisting laparoscopic evaluation of abnormalities in the abdomen.