Digital flexor tendons of the hand: normal ultrasonographic anatomy

Superficially located tendons of the body can be easily assessed by ultrasonography with high frequency, short focused transducer. But there has been no reports of detailed anatomic studies of digital flexor tendones of thehand by using ultrasonography. Thus, we performed the ultrasonography of the hands of normal volunteers, andreport normal ultrasonographic findings. Images were obtained in axial and longitudinal planes from the wrist tothe insertion site of each tendon. In addition, the movement of the tendon was observed at rest, and during flexion and extension of each finger. The ultrasonographic sectional anatomy of flexor tendons and their neighbouring structures were sucessfully demonstrated, and the understanding of it will provide a useful background knowledge for the diagnosis of pathologic conditions.