Highlights
- •The four techniques used for assessment are: the anterior, medial, lateral and posterior approaches; each having its advantages and limitations.
- •The anterior approach is useful to assess the proximal biceps tendon, the myotendinous junction and the bicipital aponeurosis.
- •The medial approach allows for transducer placement parallel to the tendon to minimize anisotropy and improve visualization.
- •The lateral approach is extremely useful in performing dynamic assessment of the distal biceps tendon, differentiating partial from complete injuries.
- •The residual stump of a completely torn distal biceps tendon might be mistaken for an intact tendon when utilizing the dorsal/posterior approach.
Abstract
Ultrasound assessment of the distal biceps tendon is challenging. The tendon has two
components which are continuations of the long and short heads of the muscle, and
these undergo 90° of rotation along their course. The tendon has a deep insertion
to the radial tuberosity. Therefore, a combination of approaches and examination techniques
are utilized to ensure complete evaluation. The various ultrasound approaches used
to assess the distal biceps tendon, with their advantages and limitations, will be
described. Selected examples of distal biceps tendon injuries, with magnetic resonance
imaging (MRI) correlation in challenging cases, will be demonstrated.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: January 19, 2021
Accepted:
January 15,
2021
Received in revised form:
December 25,
2020
Received:
November 21,
2020
Identification
Copyright
© 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
