RMSK Diagnostic Terms study guide
Aponeurotomy Ans✓✓✓ Cutting an aponeurosis, either completely or
incompletely, using a needle, scalpel or other device.
Aspiration Ans✓✓✓ The act of removing fluid, calcification or other
crystalline material, blood, pus or other substance from the body
typically using a needle and syringe, catheter or another device
Avulsion (ligament) Ans✓✓✓ Ligament tear at its bony attachment or a
fracture at a ligament attachment.
US Appearance
Variable, depending on specific pathology (see other more precise
terms)
Avulsion Ans✓✓✓ Tendon tear at its bony attachment or a fracture at a
tendon attachment
US Appearance
Variable depending on specific pathology (see other more precise terms)
Barbotage Ans✓✓✓ Repeated injection and aspiration of fluid to break
up and remove calcification, usually within a tendon
,Brisement Ans✓✓✓ The injection of fluid into the space between a
tendon and its paratenon or sheath; brisement has also been used to refer
to injection of saline or other fluid into a joint to break down adhesions
(eg, in treatment of adhesive capsulitis)
Bursitis Ans✓✓✓ Inflammation of bursa
ariable, depending on the underlying pathology, which can include
effusion, synovial hypertrophy, synovial proliferation and synovitis with
possible increased flow on Doppler imagin
Calcific tendinopathy Ans✓✓✓ Calcium deposition within a tendon; if
calcium hydroxyapatite, this may be termed calcific tendinosis. Use
calcific tendinitis when in the resorptive or inflammatory stage
US Appearance
Calcium hydroxyapatite appears as a globular well- defined hyperechoic
focus within a tendon with variable shadowing. Overlap with other
forms of calcification and crystal deposition are possible. Small
punctateor linear tendon calcifications may also be due to calcium
pyrophosphate dihydrate deposition disease or degenerative
calcification. Amorphous echogenicity with variable shadowing can be
seen with monosodium urate deposition in gout
Chemical neurolysis Ans✓✓✓ The application of chemical agents to a
nerve in order to cause temporary or permanent degeneration of targeted
nerve fibres.
, Compression Ans✓✓✓ Force is applied by the sonographer or
sonologist on the transducer towards the patient's body.
Compression Neuropathy Ans✓✓✓ Disorder characterised by nerve
dysfunction as a result of nerve entrapment or extrinsic impingement
US Apperance
Hypoechoic appearance of nerve from epineural oedema with possible
fascicular enlargement typically proximal and sometimes distal to the
compression site
Caveat
Nerve compression first results in oedema followed by demyelination
and then ischaemic axonal damage when the compression is severe and
chronic
Contusion Ans✓✓✓ Muscle injury with or without haematoma most
commonly as a result of blunt trauma
Mixed echogenicity area of muscle fibre disruption ranging from
hyperechoic when acute to anechoic when chronic with possible mass
effect from haematoma, possible increased flow on Doppler imaging
Aponeurotomy Ans✓✓✓ Cutting an aponeurosis, either completely or
incompletely, using a needle, scalpel or other device.
Aspiration Ans✓✓✓ The act of removing fluid, calcification or other
crystalline material, blood, pus or other substance from the body
typically using a needle and syringe, catheter or another device
Avulsion (ligament) Ans✓✓✓ Ligament tear at its bony attachment or a
fracture at a ligament attachment.
US Appearance
Variable, depending on specific pathology (see other more precise
terms)
Avulsion Ans✓✓✓ Tendon tear at its bony attachment or a fracture at a
tendon attachment
US Appearance
Variable depending on specific pathology (see other more precise terms)
Barbotage Ans✓✓✓ Repeated injection and aspiration of fluid to break
up and remove calcification, usually within a tendon
,Brisement Ans✓✓✓ The injection of fluid into the space between a
tendon and its paratenon or sheath; brisement has also been used to refer
to injection of saline or other fluid into a joint to break down adhesions
(eg, in treatment of adhesive capsulitis)
Bursitis Ans✓✓✓ Inflammation of bursa
ariable, depending on the underlying pathology, which can include
effusion, synovial hypertrophy, synovial proliferation and synovitis with
possible increased flow on Doppler imagin
Calcific tendinopathy Ans✓✓✓ Calcium deposition within a tendon; if
calcium hydroxyapatite, this may be termed calcific tendinosis. Use
calcific tendinitis when in the resorptive or inflammatory stage
US Appearance
Calcium hydroxyapatite appears as a globular well- defined hyperechoic
focus within a tendon with variable shadowing. Overlap with other
forms of calcification and crystal deposition are possible. Small
punctateor linear tendon calcifications may also be due to calcium
pyrophosphate dihydrate deposition disease or degenerative
calcification. Amorphous echogenicity with variable shadowing can be
seen with monosodium urate deposition in gout
Chemical neurolysis Ans✓✓✓ The application of chemical agents to a
nerve in order to cause temporary or permanent degeneration of targeted
nerve fibres.
, Compression Ans✓✓✓ Force is applied by the sonographer or
sonologist on the transducer towards the patient's body.
Compression Neuropathy Ans✓✓✓ Disorder characterised by nerve
dysfunction as a result of nerve entrapment or extrinsic impingement
US Apperance
Hypoechoic appearance of nerve from epineural oedema with possible
fascicular enlargement typically proximal and sometimes distal to the
compression site
Caveat
Nerve compression first results in oedema followed by demyelination
and then ischaemic axonal damage when the compression is severe and
chronic
Contusion Ans✓✓✓ Muscle injury with or without haematoma most
commonly as a result of blunt trauma
Mixed echogenicity area of muscle fibre disruption ranging from
hyperechoic when acute to anechoic when chronic with possible mass
effect from haematoma, possible increased flow on Doppler imaging
