High-resolution Ultrasonographic Diagnosis of Plantar Fasciitis: An Association of Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Ultrasound

Abstract

Objective: To assess the role played by ultrasound in evaluating plantar fasciitis and associate the findings with Magnetic resonance imaging.

Study Design: Case series.

Place and Duration of Study: Department of Radiology, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad Pakistan, from Nov 2020 to Apr 2021.

Methodology: All the patients underwent ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging scanning. The study and control Groups consisted of 38 patients.

Results: Out of 38 patients, plantar fascia thickness in symptomatic feet was measured with ultrasound for both the Study and Control Groups. The Control Group had slightly thinner plantar fasciitis (1.1-2.4 mm, 1.7 ± 0.06 mm; p =0.03) compared to the Study Group (2.9-6.9 mm; 4.9±1.4 mm). In addition, this study compared other plantar fasciitis diagnostic signs on sonography with the magnetic resonance imaging findings. The diagnostic accuracy of plantar fascia pathological focal echogenicity, plantar fascia oedema, perifascial oedema, and plantar fascia rupture was 15(80.6%), 12(60.7%), 15(77.1%), and 13(68.6%) respectively. The diagnostic accuracy of ultrasonography was lower while evaluating for calcaneal spurs.

Conclusion: The present study concluded that ultrasonography could be the basic initial diagnostic imaging modality to confirm clinically suspected cases of plantar fasciitis. However, magnetic resonance imaging could be the preferred diagnostic modality for suspected complex pathology and lack of clinical presentation.