HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) CME Test (opens in a new window) Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Blum, A. G. Articles by Dap, F. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Blum, A. G. Articles by Dap, F. Related Collections Magnetic Resonance Imaging Musculoskeletal Radiology Computed Tomography

Pathologic Conditions of the Hypothenar Eminence: Evaluation with Multidetector CT and MR Imaging¹

¹ From the Service d’Imagerie Guilloz, CHU Nancy, Avenue de Lattre de Tassigny, Nancy 54000, France (A.G.B., J.P.Z., R.K., T.B., K.B., X.Z.); and Service de chirurgie plastique et reconstructive de l’appareil locomoteur, Hôpital Jeanne d’Arc, CHU Nancy, Nancy, France (G.D., F.D.). Recipient of a Certificate of Merit award for an education exhibit at the 2004 RSNA Annual Meeting. Received May 6, 2005; revision requested July 6 and received January 12, 2006; accepted February 20. All authors have no financial relationships to disclose. Address correspondence to A.G.B. (e-mail: a.blum{at}chu-nancy.fr).

Pain, weakness, and sensory loss occur frequently in the hypothenar eminence. However, clinical examination is difficult and nonspecific, and the prescribed imaging technique may be inadequate, or images may be misinterpreted. Different imaging modalities have various degrees of usefulness for the diagnosis of painful pathologic conditions of the hypothenar eminence. Radiography, multidetector computed tomography (CT), multidetector CT arthrography, and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of the wrist are useful for surveying the anatomy of the hypothenar eminence, the Guyon canal, and the ulnar nerve and artery and for determining the cause of pain or other symptoms. A fracture of the pisiform bone or the hook of the hamate bone, osteoarthritis or osteochondromatosis of the pisotriquetral joint, Guyon canal syndrome, hypothenar hammer syndrome, tendinopathy of the flexor carpi ulnaris, an anomalous muscle, a ganglion cyst, or a tumor may be responsible for ulnar neuropathy. Specific radiographic views, such as the semisupinated oblique view and the lateral view with the hand radially deviated and the thumb abducted, often provide a sufficient basis for the diagnosis of acute fracture of the hook of the hamate or the pisiform bone. Multidetector CT angiography is an efficient method for diagnosing hypothenar hammer syndrome, and multidetector CT arthrography is well suited for evaluation of the pisotriquetral joint. MR imaging is the modality of choice for depiction of the ulnar nerve.

© RSNA, 2006

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. Celi, G. de Gautard, J.-D. Della Santa, and S. Bianchi Sonographic Diagnosis of a Radiographically Undiagnosed Hook of the Hamate Fracture J. Ultrasound Med., August 1, 2008; 27(8): 1235 - 1239. [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. T. Ablett and L. A. Hackett Hypothenar Hammer Syndrome: Case Reports and Brief Review Clin. Med. Res., May 1, 2008; 6(1): 3 - 8. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]