Ultrasonography of Hands and Wrists in the Diagnosis of Complications of Chikungunya Fever

J Ultrasound Med. 2018 Feb;37(2):511-520. doi: 10.1002/jum.14344. Epub 2017 Aug 8.

Abstract

The purpose of this series was to describe the ultrasonographic and radiographic manifestations of changes to the hands and wrists in 50 patients with chronic musculoskeletal symptoms secondary to Chikungunya fever during the 2016 outbreak that occurred in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Most of the plain radiographs were normal (62%). The most common ultrasonographic findings were small joint synovitis (84%), wrist synovitis (74%), finger tenosynovitis (70%), and cellulitis (50%). In most cases, power Doppler did not show an increase in synovial vascular flow. The plain radiographs showed no specific findings, whereas the ultrasound images revealed synovial compromise and neural thickening.

Keywords: Chikungunya fever; extremities; median nerve; musculoskeletal; soft tissue masses; synovitis; tenosynovitis; ultrasound.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Observational Study

MeSH terms

  • Brazil
  • Cellulitis / diagnostic imaging*
  • Cellulitis / etiology
  • Chikungunya Fever / complications*
  • Chikungunya Fever / diagnostic imaging*
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Female
  • Hand / diagnostic imaging*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Tenosynovitis / diagnostic imaging*
  • Tenosynovitis / etiology
  • Wrist / diagnostic imaging