Tenosynovitis Infectious

In infectious tenosynovitis, the effusion tends to be more echogenic and the overlying subcutaneous tissue may appear thickened and hyperechoic due to cellulitis (Brooke Jeffrey et al. 1987 Schechter et al. 1989). However, it must be emphasized that these characteristics are too subtle to allow a definitive diagnosis based on US findings alone. Needle aspiration of fluid, possibly obtained under US guid-... 

In hand wounds, foreign bodies are a common cause of infection of the flexor tendon sheath. In infectious tenosynovitis, detection of an echogenic effusion can allow an early diagnosis in the proper clinical setting (Schechter et al. 1989 Jeffrey et al. 1987) (Fig. 11.36). In these cases, however, the... 

Apart from the traumatic setting, loosening of the pulleys may be secondary to inflammatory or infectious tenosynovitis. In these disorders, chronic inflammation can lead to distension of the pulleys with secondary functional impairment rather than true tears. A typical case of pulley involvement occurs in patients with rheumatoid arthritis due to pannus activity (see paragraph Sect. 11.5.4.2). 

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