Ultrasound at the Hand Clinic

Ultrasound examination in Geneva

Bone, osteoarticular, muscular or tendon ultrasound is an imaging test used to analyze tendons, ligaments, muscles and sometimes joints.
It has a wide range of indications, including :
– identify the cause of pain or joint pain syndrome

– detect the presence of tendonitis or ligament damage, particularly in athletes

– search for and identify muscular pathologies

Hand ultrasound at the Clinique de la Main Genève

Ultrasound examination of the hand is a painless procedure performed at the Clinique de la Main in Geneva. It enables analysis of the soft tissues of the hand and study of muscle and tendon insertions.

The essential role of ultrasound of the hand and upper limb is to visualize tendons, nerves, joints and other structures. In addition, ultrasound-guided surgery enables certain operations, punctures and infiltrations to be performed in a minimally invasive manner.

As the tendons are located just under the skin, ultrasound enables precise analysis. Possible mobilization of the tendons during the examination is visible on ultrasound thanks to its dynamic nature.

The dynamic nature of ultrasound enables us to assess the compressibility of a lesion or the movement of a joint. Mobilization and tensioning facilitate the study of ligaments and tendons. The contraction test improves muscle study performance during ultrasound examination.

Hand ultrasound, for which pathologies?

There are many hand pathologies requiring ultrasound examination.

The Clinique de la Main offers you the opportunity to carry out this examination at its center in order to explore the following pathologies:

• Finger imp ingement: In the case of finger impingement, ultrasound can be used to identify the cause of the problem, locate the site of impingement and guide management.

• Malletfinger : The extensor tendons of the fingers are visible under the skin, inserting themselves into the distal phalanges. Ultrasound allows us to visualize them and check how they slide during finger movements.

• Lesions of the flexor tendons: Ultrasound will help confirm a potential rupture and locate it.

• Inter-phalangeal sprains: These are detected by ultrasound, and their examination enables us to determine the stage of the sprain, thus improving management and more accurately predicting the healing time.

• Thumb sprains: Very common in sports injuries (especially skiing falls). Following a clinical examination to assess a thumb ligament injury, ultrasoundis used to confirm the diagnosis and, above all, to evaluate surgical criteria.

• Dupuytren’s disease: ultrasound is an excellent diagnostic tool, enabling visualization of fibrosis of the fascia. Ultrasound can also show the absence of lesions on the underlying flexor tendons, and the absence of vascular-nerve anomalies, which could modify the type of management.

• Osteoarthritis of the hands: Ultrasound is an excellent tool for assessing osteophytes, arthritis and signs of joint wear in patients with osteoarthritis of the hands.

• Carpal tunnel: Ultrasound of the wrist is an examination that can be requested to investigate wrist pain or carpal tunnel syndrome.

• Cysts and tumors: the morphology and nature of masses such as cysts or tumors of the hand can be assessed with ultrasound.

Your hand surgeon will suggest this examination, if necessary, to diagnose or confirm the pathology you are suffering from.

Ultrasound procedure

The course of any medical imaging examination depends on what is being studied and why .
As a general rule, wrist and hand ultrasounds should be performed without jewelry (watches, rings, bracelets).

The ultrasound probe should be in direct contact with your skin, and a gel will be applied. An ultrasound examination at the Clinique de la Main lasts 20 to 30 minutes.