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Ganglion cyst versus synovial cyst? Ultrasound characteristics through a review of the literature

  • Review Article - Imaging
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Abstract

Ultrasonographic characteristics of two common musculoskeletal lesions, ganglion cysts (GCs) and synovial cysts (SCs) are presented through a review of the literature. Although similar in many ways, these two lesions display different morphostructural characteristics justifying, in our view, their descriptions as separate entities. Mainly different from an anatomopathologic point of view, they also differ in their potential therapeutic implications. A symptomatic GC, refractory to conservative therapy, may require surgical excision of the cyst itself. For SC, therapy should primarily be oriented toward identifying and correcting the often coexisting intra-articular disease instead of only targeting merely its consequence, the SC.

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Acknowledgments

Dr. Cristina Hernández-Díaz and Dr. Lucio Ventura.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Rheumatology Department, Verdun Hospital, 4000, Boulevard La Salle, Montreal, QC, H4G 2A3, Canada

    Marie-Claude Giard

  2. Rheumatology Department, Royal-Victoria Hospital, McGill University Health Center, Montreal, Canada

    Marie-Claude Giard

  3. Rheumatology Department, Instituto Nacional de Rehabilitacion, Mexico City, Mexico

    Carlos Pineda

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  1. Marie-Claude Giard
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  2. Carlos Pineda
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Correspondence to Marie-Claude Giard.

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Giard, MC., Pineda, C. Ganglion cyst versus synovial cyst? Ultrasound characteristics through a review of the literature. Rheumatol Int 35, 597–605 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00296-014-3120-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00296-014-3120-1

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