Ultrasound tutorial – Achilles Ultrasound
Achilles ultrasound – Technique and Findings
Positioning
- Prone
- Ankle dorsiflexed
Ultrasound probe for the Achilles tendon
- High frequency linear probe
- Gives good field of view
- High resolution
- Hockey stick probe
- Useful for ultrasound guided intervention
Normal Appearance
- Minimally decreasing thickness from the musculoskeletal junction to the insertion
- Fascicular architecture
Pathology
- Tendinosis
- Hypoechoic
- Thickened
- Loss of fascicular architecture
- Tear
- Interstitial
- Linear anechoic signal
- Partial/full thickness
- Pre-achilles fat (echogenic) extends into the tear
- Interstitial