Luca Maria Sconfienza MD, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Francesca Lacelli MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Matteo Revelli, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Edoardo Savarino MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Marco Amedeo Cimmino MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Enzo Silvestri MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Plantar fasciitis is a common condition in athletes and general population. In early stages, the diagnosis of such affection can be challenging. Our aim was to evaluate real-time sonoelastography in the assessment of the plantar fascia in healthy volunteers and in patients with clinical suspicion of plantar fasciitis, comparing these findings with those obtained at clinical assessment and conventional ultrasound.

IRB approval and patients’ informed consent were obtained. We included in our study 42 feet of 21 healthy volunteers (13 males, 8 females, mean age 28±8.1 years) and 19 feet of 19 consecutive patients (11 males, 8 females, mean age 44±12.2 years) referring for clinical symptoms of plantar fasciitis. All subjects underwent conventional ultrasound and sonoelastography assessment of the hindfoot (13-6 MHz linear probe, MyLab 70 XvG, Esaote, Italy), and clinical evaluation of pain with a visual analogue scale.

Sonoelastography demonstrated an elastic structure in 42/42 healthy feet (100%), while a loss of elasticity was detected in 17/19 patients (89%). The difference between the two groups was statistically significant (p<.001). Among patients who presented altered elasticity values (n=15), conventional ultrasonography detected signs of plantar fasciitis in 15/19 patients (79%). Compared with clinical examination, sensitivity of sonoelastography was 89%, specificity was 100%, and accuracy was 94%, while conventional ultrasound showed 79%, 100%, and 90% respectively. Good correlation between sonoelastography and ultrasonography was observed (r=.897).

Sonoelastography represents a valuable tool in differentiating healthy subjects from patients, also in those cases where ultrasound was not conclusive. Sonoelastography showed remarkable sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy in detecting elasticity alterations of plantar fascia, with good correlation with conventional ultrasonography.

Sonoelastography increases sensitivity and accuracy of conventional ultrasound in detecting plantar fasciitis and can be helpful in those cases where ultrasound is not conclusive.

Sconfienza, L, Lacelli, F, Revelli, M, Savarino, E, Cimmino, M, Silvestri, E, Sonoelastography of Plantar Fascia: Comparison among Healthy Subjects and Patients Affected by Plantar Fasciitis.  Radiological Society of North America 2010 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, November 28 - December 3, 2010 ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2010/9010293.html