الفهرس 
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Abstract
Elbow pain is a very common complaint in different age groups. Ultrasonography is very useful in evaluation of different pathologies at the elbow joint.
Years ago, Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) had been considered as the standard imaging modality for assessment of elbow pain due to high image resolution and ability to image different structures at different planes.
The aim of this study was to assess the sensitivity of ultrasound in diagnosis of different non-neoplastic causes of elbow pain relative to MRI.
We examined 60 patients complaining of acute or chronic elbow pain. All patients were examined by ultrasound using static and dynamic approaches for ligament and tendon lesions. This was followed by MRI study.
Twenty one patients in our study were diagnosed as arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and gout being the main categories. US showed 76.1 % sensitivity in diagnosing erosive bony changes (16/21 cases) and 83% in diagnosing synovial changes (15/18 cases).
Ligament and tendon tears were encountered in 9 patients. US diagnosed 3 cases of complete triceps tendon tear and 2 cases of annular ligament tear, 1 case of ulnar collateral ligament tear as well as 1 case of lateral collateral ligament partial tear and missed 2 cases of lateral ulnar collateral ligament sprain. It showed a limited role in diagnosing partial ligament and tendon tears.
Nine cases of traumatic bony lesions were included in our study. US has limited role in diagnosing bony lesions. Its sensitivity is 50% relative to MRI in cases of bone fractures or dislocation.
Regarding epiondylitis, six out of nine cases were diagnosed sonographically indicating high diagnostic sensitivity of US in cases of medial and lateral epicondylitis.
US has successfully diagnosed all 3 cases of olecranon bursitis included in our study and its findings were consistent with MRI findings.
Elbow joint effusion was encountered in 54 cases as the only finding or associated with other pathologies. US has diagnosed 42/54 cases with 77.7 % sensitivity and 100% specificity in diagnosing effusion.
In conclusion, ultrasound examination was useful in diagnosing many causes of elbow pain as epicondylitis, ligament and tendon tears, bursitis as well as joint effusion and synovitis. This allows MRI examination to be reserved only for symptomatic patients whose sonographic evaluation is normal. However, US had a limited role in diagnosing bony lesions in cases of bony trauma and arthritis and MRI showed a great role with those patients.