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Table 21 Accuracy Summary – Musculoskeletal Clinical Indication for Diagnostic Ultrasound of the Knee Region

From: The accuracy of diagnostic ultrasound imaging for musculoskeletal soft tissue pathology of the extremities: a comprehensive review of the literature

Target Condition

Recommendation

Tendons and soft tissue

Grade

 Full thickness quadriceps tendon tears

3

 Patella tendinopathy

3

 Baker’s Cyst

2

 Medial patella plica syndrome

2

 Meniscal cyst

2

 Ganglion cyst

Unknown

 Hamstring/ITB/gastrocnemius injury

Unknown

 Hoffa’s fat pad syndrome

Unknown

 Pes anserinus tendinobursitis

Unknown

Internal knee derangement and associated injury

 

 Full ACL tears

0a

 Partial ACL tears

0

 Medial meniscus tears

0a

 Lateral meniscus tears

0a

 LCL injury

0a

 Popliteal injury

0a

 MCL injury

Unknown

 PCL injury

Unknown

Nerves

 

 Common peroneal neuropathy

2

  1. ACL anterior cruciate ligament; PCL posterior cruciate ligament; LCL lateral collateral ligament; MCL medial collateral ligament; ITB iliotibial band
  2. Unknown: No diagnostic accuracy studies found
  3. Grade 0a: Not indicated as a definitive diagnostic tool for ligamentous and meniscal tears of the knee, however may have a role as an on field, point-of-care screening tool
  4. Grade 0: Not indicated
  5. Grade 1: Conflicting evidence (test results should be interpreted with caution)
  6. Grade 2: Equivalent to other imaging techniques (other techniques might provide significant information)
  7. Grade 3: First choice technique (other techniques rarely provide more information)