Clinical Rheumatology

, Volume 22, Issue 6, pp 391–392 | Cite as

Sonography detection threshold for knee effusion

  • Ingrid Delaunoy
  • Véronique Feipel
  • Thierry Appelboom
  • Jean-Philippe Hauzeur
Original Article
First Online:
Received:
Accepted:

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the threshold for detecting knee effusion by ultrasound (US). Five knee specimens from embalmed cadavers were studied. Intra-articular injection of saline, blood and synovial fluid was performed under ultrasound control and methylene blue dye instillation. The smallest amount of fluid detectable by US in the knee was 7.4 ml for synovial fluid, 10.1 and 10.4 ml for saline solution and 9.7 for blood. The threshold for detecting knee joint effusion by US in cadaver specimens was 10 ml for saline and blood and 7 ml for synovial fluid.

Keywords

Hydrarthrosis Joint effusion Joint fluid Knee Synovitis Ultrasonography 

Abbreviations

US

Ultrasound

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References

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    Jacobson J A, Andresen R, Jaovishidha S et al. (1998) Detection of ankle effusions: comparison study in cadavers using radiography, sonography, and MR imaging. AJR 170:1231–1238Google Scholar

Copyright information

© Clinical Rheumatology 2003

Authors and Affiliations

  • Ingrid Delaunoy
    • 1
  • Véronique Feipel
    • 2
  • Thierry Appelboom
    • 1
  • Jean-Philippe Hauzeur
    • 1
  1. 1.Erasme HospitalUniversity of BrusselsBrusselsBelgium
  2. 2.Laboratory of AnatomyUniversity of BrusselsBrusselsBelgium

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