Patient Positioning
Patient seated in front of the examiner, hand palm down resting on the examination table.
Probe Positioning
Place the transducer on a transverse plane over the dorsal aspect of the wrist. Move the probe radially or ulnarly over the extensor tendon compartment of interest. Check each compartment of interest in its full overall length (cranial myotendinous junction, distal insertion).
ECU: extensor carpi ulnaris tendon (6th compartment)
5th: extensor digiti quinti proprius tendon
4th: extensor digitorum communis/indicis proprius tendon
EPL: extensor pollicis longus tendon
LT: lister tubercle
ECRB: extensor carpi radialis brevis tendon
ECU: extensor carpi ulnaris tendon
Note: check the extensor tendons of interest for effusion, synovial hypertrophy, neovascularity (doppler mode), ganglion cysts or tears. The integrity of the extensor tendon system can be check dynamically with active extension against resistance.