The Value Of High-frequency Color Doppler Ultrasound In Diagnosis Of The Lateral Epicondylitis Of The Elbow

Objective: Exploring using value of high-frequency color doppler ultrasound in patients with lateral epicondylitis.Methods:About40healthy adults and37cases of clinical diagnosed with lateral epicondylitis for high frequency ultrasound. Measuring the thickness of the Common extensor tendon (CET) in healthy group and cases of bilateral elbow respectively for two-sample t-test, correlations were considered significant at P<0.05. The pain of lateral epicondylitis was graded as mild, moderate or severe by VAS. Analysis of ultrasound images, the injury of the common extensor tendon was graded as mild, moderate or severe. Spearman’s rank correlation analysis was performed to compare VAS of pain with the injury of the common extensor tendon, correlations were considered significant at P<0.05. Blood flow to the common extensor tendon was graded as0, I, Ⅱ or Ⅲ levels. Spearman’s rank correlation analysis was performed to compare VAS of pain with the degree of blood flow of the common extensor tendon, correlations were considered significant at P<0.05.Resluts:①Patients with lateral epicondylitis common extensor tendon always have these characteristics under high frequency ultrasound:Tendon thickening, focal hypoechoic area, partial tear, increase of flow signal. Elders can also be merged tendon calcification within the course of disease, the surrounding bone change and so on.②Health group of bilateral CET thickness ultrasonic measurement value were basically identical. There was no statistically significant difference(P>0.05).③Cases group of abnormal elbow CET thickness ultrasonic measurement value was greater than the healthy. The difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).④Positive correlation were seen between VAS of pain and the injury of the common extensor tendon(p<0.05).⑤Positive correlation were seen between VAS of pain and the blood flow of the common extensor tendon(P<0.05).Conclusions:①High frequency ultrasound was an important auxiliary examination to lateral epicondylitis.②The VAS grade of patients with tennis lateral epicondylitis was positively associated with the degree of the common extensor tendon damage degree and the blood flow.