Topic 2 Pathology Tendons muscles nerves Flashcards
What are the two categories of muscle tear?
Direct trauma/crush injury
Indirect trauma/ Stretch injury
What is the initial ultrasound appearance of a muscle tear?
o discontinuity in the muscle fibres and fibrous septa
o hypoechoic fluid filling the gap in torn muscle fibres.
o Echogenic debris may be present
What is the ultrasound appearance of a muscle tear in the first 24-48 hrs?
o the tear will appear more heterogeneous as it fills with clotted blood.
What is the ultrasound appearance of a muscle tear in the first 1-3 weeks?
o tear will again become hypo or anechoic as the haematoma begins to liquefy.
o Shaggy margins of the torn muscle will be evident.
What must you determine when scanning a muscle tear?
o the site of the tear
o its extent and size
o location to a known landmark or joint
o percentage of muscle bulk involved in transverse orientation.
What are some ultrasound appearances of a complete muscle tear?
o muscle is hyperechoic and retracted
o often with a smooth ‘bullnosed’ appearance to muscle ends
o it will be surrounded by a fluid haematoma.
o Contraction of the affected limb may help to visualise the ends of a tear.
o measure the distance between the retracted ends where possible.
When does and indirect trauma/stretch injury occur to a muscle?
• occurs when the tension applied to the muscle is greater than the force they can withstand
What is the most common site for a stretch injury?
- The myotendinous junctions are usually the weakest point
* therefore the more common site of muscle distraction injuries.
What is the ultrasound appearance of a stretch/distraction injury?
- generally longitudinal or flame-shaped tears
- usually only partial and not complete ruptures
- tear will usually extend in the longitudinal plane
- may involve only a few bundles of muscle fibre, rather than the entire cross-section.
- Rarely a muscle may be torn from its site of origin or insertion
What is the most common site for a muscle to be torn from it’s origin/insertion?
semitendinosus has avulsed from the ischial tuberosity
What is the clinical presentation of a semitendinosus avulsion?
- tender proximal thigh
o and often a visible depression in the skin layer.
o Function may not be fully compromised, just weakened, as the other hamstring muscles maintain function
Why can assessing a semitendinosus avulsion be difficult?
o Because the cavity fills rapidly with haematoma, a complete rupture can be difficult to assess for the size of the retraction gap
What is myositis ossificans?
- Following an intramuscular haematoma, the affected region may calcify and then ossify.
- This is also known as heterotopic bone formation (HBF).
- HBF is a soft tissue inflammation followed by heterotopic bone ossification
What are some causes of myositis ossificans?
- in 40 percent of cases there is no history of trauma
* it can develop through joint arthroplasty, central nervous injury, and direct soft tissue trauma.
What does myositis ossificans look like on ultrasound initially?
o Initially will appear as a soft tissue mass
o with disorganised, heterogeneous internal architecture
o may be indistinguishable sonographically from a soft tissue neoplasm.
How does myositis ossificans present clinically?
o Clinically it will present as a palpable firm mass.
What does myositis ossificans look like on an ultrasound after 3 -4 weeks?
o calcifications will begin to appear
o may follow the ‘feathered’ pennate structure of the muscle fibres
o identifiable with sonography well before radiography will show them.
What does myositis ossificans look like long term?
• calcific deposits will mature over five to six months within the muscle structure
What is important when scanning myositis ossificans long term?
• it is important to try to show this ossification has occurred separate to bone, and does not represent bony periosteal pathology
What is the most common site of myositis ossificans?
quadriceps muscles
What percentage of quad muscle tears develop myositis ossificans?
50 percent of quads contusions develop HBF
How can muscle healing appear on ultrasound?
- decreased size and echogenicity of haematoma followed by a complete resolution
- increased echogenicity and thickness of the margins of the tear
- reorganisation of the muscle architecture to normal appearance, with fibro-adipose septa re-appearing
What are some complications of muscle healing?
- formation of linear, stellate or nodular scar tissue and increased risk of re-rupture
- formation of a muscle cyst, which may contain septae
- myositis ossificans (HBF)
- muscular atrophy
- compartment syndrome
What should you do when scanning a intramuscular mass?
o detecting and defining the mass, that is, position, size, margins
o characterising the mass, that is, echotexture, calcification
o whether it has increased vascularity (in comparison to the surrounding muscle)
o compressibility
o evidence of local and regional extension
What is the most common malignant muscle tumour?
malignant fibrous histiocytoma
it is rare
What is the typical appearance of a malignant fibrous histiocytoma?
hypoechoic, uniloculated, and have an increased vascularity with a low resistance flow.
Name some malignant muscle tumours?
lymphoma, metastasis, liposarcoma and synovial sarcoma.
What are some examples of intramuscular fluid collections?
o post-traumatic hematomas o abscesses o ganglia o cysts o necrotic tumors
How can you differentiate between intermuscular and intramuscular fluid collections on ultrasound?
- The intramuscular collections are usually round
* intermuscular collection are fusiform.
What do muscle cysts look like on US?
- rare
- should conform to the standard ultrasound criteria for a cyst
- They may be difficult to distinguish from some muscle tears
- in general, a muscle cyst is more difficult to compress than a muscle tear
What is a muscle angioma?
soft tissue neoplasms consisting of different types of vascular channels including lymphatic vessels within the muscle often associated with variable amounts of adipose tissue
How do muscle angiomas present?
slow-growing mass in association with chronic pain especially after exercise. They are often tender to palpation and compressible
How do muscle angiomas appear on US?
- may be hypo or hyperechoic
- uni or multiloculated
- may change shape in response to muscle contraction or exercise
Where to muscle aponeurosis injuries occur?
- occur where muscles adjoin each other
* such as the aponeurosis between the medial head of gastrocnemius and the soleus
What sort of force can cause a muscle aponeurosis rupture?
• sudden shearing force between muscles acting in differing degrees of contracture will result in a linear anechoic fluid collection of blood between the two muscles at the site of maximal tenderness.
where can muscle hernia occur?
• Any region where there is a fascial defect or weakness can allow the underlying muscle to herniate through
What is the most common cause of muscle hernia?
previous trauma or surgery
What is compartment syndrome characterized by?
• characterised by the raised intramuscular pressure within a muscle group
What does compartment syndrome commonly cause?
muscle ischaemia and necrosis
How does compartment syndrome appear on ultrasound?
o the relevant muscle group will appear enlarged and hyperechoic compared to the unaffected limb.
o If there is resultant muscle ischaemia then regions of diffuse heterogeneity and even small cyst formations may be seen.
o If you are suspicious of compartment syndrome, consider the muscle carefully for relevant asymmetric muscle density.
what is Rhabdomyolysis?
• general term denoting skeletal muscle necrosis
How is rhabdomyolysis usually conformed?
clinically by the presence of muscle proteins in the urine (myoglobinuria
When is US useful in the setting of ?rhabdomyolysis?
may be used to distinguish between this condition and deep vein thrombosis, as the patient will present with a painful, swollen calf or thigh.
What are the US features of Rhabdomyolyisis?
- increase in size of muscle
- mixed echogenicity of muscle
- fluid collections throughout the region