Sonography of the patellar tendon: preliminary observations.

A technique using linear-array real-time sonography was used to study patellar tendon and adjacent muscular injuries. Of 65 subjects examined, normal patellar tendon sonographic anatomy was defined in 32. Of 33 patients with sonographic abnormalities, 15 had pathologic correlation. Two patients had focal degenerative tendonitis, and nine had diffuse dystrophic change. There were three cases of intratendinous hematoma and one of mucoid degeneration. These results demonstrate accurate differentiation of the normal from the abnormal tendon. In many instances, particularly when a focal lesion is present, the sonogram is as or more diagnostic than the radiographic and physical examinations.