Sonoelastography of Plantar Fascia: Reproducibility and Pattern Description in Healthy Subjects and Symptomatic Subjects

• Published in: Ultrasound in medicine & biology Vol. 41; no. 10; pp. 2605 - 2613
• Main Authors: Ríos-Díaz, José, Martínez-Payá, Jacinto J, del Baño-Aledo, María Elena, de Groot-Ferrando, Ana, Botía-Castillo, Paloma, Fernández-Rodríguez, David
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Inc 01.10.2015
• Subjects: Adult; Adults; Comparative study; Elastic Modulus; Elasticity imaging techniques; Elasticity Imaging Techniques - methods; Fascia - diagnostic imaging; Fascia - physiopathology; Fasciitis, Plantar - diagnostic imaging; Fasciitis, Plantar - physiopathology; Female; Heel - diagnostic imaging; Heel - physiopathology; Humans; Image Enhancement - methods; Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted - methods; Male; Observer Variation; Plantar fasciitis; Radiology; Reproducibility of Results; Sensitivity and Specificity; Stress, Mechanical; Ultrasonography; Young Adult; Plantar fasciitis; Adults; Elasticity imaging techniques; Comparative study; Ultrasonography
• ISSN: 0301-5629; 1879-291X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2015.05.024

Abstract The purpose of the work reported here was to describe the sonoelastographic appearance of the plantar fascia of healthy volunteers and patients with fasciitis. Twenty-three healthy subjects and 21 patients with plantar fasciitis were examined using B-mode and real-time sonoelastography (RTSR) scanning. B-Mode examination included fascia thickness and echotexture. Echogenicity and echovariation of the color histogram were analyzed. Fasciae were classified into type 1, blue (more elastic); type 2, blue/green (intermediate); or type 3, green (less elastic). RTSE revealed 72.7% of fasciae as type 2, with no significant association with fasciitis (χ2  = 3.6, df  = 2, p  = 0.17). Quantitative analysis of the color histogram revealed a significantly greater intensity of green (mean = 77.8, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 71.9–83.6) and blue (mean = 74.2, 95% CI = 69.7–78.8) in healthy subjects. Echovariation of the color red was 33.4% higher in the fasciitis group than in the healthy group (95% CI = 16.7–50.1). Sonoelastography with quantitative analysis of echovariation can be a useful tool for evaluation of plantar fascia pathology.