Abstract
This particular study was designed to determine the ability of MSK ultrasound to accurately determine pathology of the soft tissue structures of the ankle, with special attention given to the anterior talofibular ligament and the syndesmosis. The study was done in an attempt to prove that musculoskeletal ultrasound can accurately, and with the same precision as an MRI examination, diagnose soft tissue abnormalities.
There is paucity in the literature regarding the ability of MSK ultrasound to accurately detect ankle pathology when compared to MRI and surgical findings. Surgical findings are considered to be the gold standard to confirm ankle pathology, given that direct visualization of the anatomical structures is possible
A quantitative, comparative descriptive study design was used in a study population which consisted of 114 participans, 66 females and 48 males with the ages between 11 and 69 years of age, who came to a medium sized private hospital in Pretoria for radiological evaluation of their ankles post injury. All of the participants underwent surgery, and received an ultrasound and MRI examination, where after all of the results were compared.
It was discovered that MRI and ultrasound had the most flaws at about 26.3 hours after the initial injury. Therefore, the suggestion is made that diagnostic imaging should be performed within the first week but at least 26.3 hours after the injury occurred.
With a high true positive rate of 100% ultrasound fared marginally better than MRI (97%) in the identification of ATFL pathology when compared to surgical results. When ultrasound and MRI findings of the syndesmosis were compared a total dissimilarity was found in 12 participants. The...
M.Tech. (Radiography)