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Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy
Published in: Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy 6/2016

01-06-2016 | Sports Medicine

Evaluation of Achilles and patellar tendinopathy with greyscale ultrasound and colour Doppler: using a four-grade scale

Authors: Kerstin Sunding, Martin Fahlström, Suzanne Werner, Magnus Forssblad, Lotta Willberg

Published in: Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy | Issue 6/2016

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Abstract

Purpose

In tendon research, using ultrasound (US), studies often refer to tendon thickness, structural abnormalities and neovascularisation. The reliability concerning these measurements and evaluations is seldom reported. The aim of this study was to assess the intra- and inter-observer reliability for quantitative measures (thickness) and qualitative evaluations (structure and neovascularisation) of symptomatic and asymptomatic Achilles and patellar tendons with US and colour Doppler using a modified Öhberg score.

Methods

Twenty-eight consecutive patients with symptomatic and asymptomatic Achilles (n = 27) and patellar tendons (n = 26) were included. Tendon anteroposterior thickness was measured. Tendon structure and neovascularisation were evaluated using a modified Öhberg score. US-images were evaluated twice by four independent observers.

Results

Mean thickness for Achilles and patellar tendons was 8.4 mm (±2.0) and 5.5 mm (±1.7), respectively. The reliability for measures of distance was high all over (ICC = 0.963–0.999). A moderate-strong correlation was found between observers concerning evaluation of neovascularisation (r = 0.767–0.992) and poor-moderate correlation concerning evaluation of structural changes (r = 0.379–0.837). Intra-observer reliability was moderate strong for evaluations of both tendon structure (k = 0.537–0.873) and neovascularisation (k = 0.639–0.864).

Conclusions

With a strict method for how to measure tendon thickness and set criteria for evaluating structural changes and amount and distribution of neovascularisation, US and colour Doppler is a reliable method for evaluating Achilles and patellar tendons. The modified, 4-graded, Öhberg score was found to be a reproducible instrument for assessment of tendon structure and neovascularisation.
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Metadata
Title
Evaluation of Achilles and patellar tendinopathy with greyscale ultrasound and colour Doppler: using a four-grade scale
Authors
Kerstin Sunding
Martin Fahlström
Suzanne Werner
Magnus Forssblad
Lotta Willberg
Publication date
01-06-2016
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy / Issue 6/2016
Print ISSN: 0942-2056
Electronic ISSN: 1433-7347
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-014-3270-4

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