足底筋膜炎之超音波檢查

Ultrasonographic Examination of Plantar Fasciitis

足底筋膜炎是造成足跟底部疼痛最常見的原因之一。本研究是利用10MHz線性探頭來評估足底筋膜炎的超音波影像。研究方法是採回溯性病例研究，蒐集在3年期間臨床上臆診為單側足底筋膜炎而接受超音波檢查者共64個病人。正常的足底筋膜在超音波下為一由跟骨向前延伸之均質、中回音且具平行排列纖維結構之構造；相較下，有症狀異常的足底筋膜則厚度增加且呈現局部或較廣泛的低回音。研究結果發現患側足底筋膜的平均厚度（0.50 cm）比健側（0.34 cm）厚（p<0.001）；且患側足底筋膜近端有47例（73%）呈現低回音，健側只有11例 （17%）。由本研究得知，高解像力超音波檢查可作為足底筋膜炎診斷評估的工具。

Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common causes of inferior heel pain. A 10 MHz linear array ultrasound transducer was used to evaluate the sonographic appearance of plantar fasciitis. In this retrospective study, we reviewed the sonographic findings of plantar fascia in 64 patients with a diagnosis of unilateral plantar fasciitis made over a period of three year. The sonography of normal plantar fascia appeared as a homogeneous, moderately echogenic, linear structure with fine, parallel arranged, echogenic striae, extending forwardly from the inferior surface of calcaneus. Compared with the asymptomatic side, the symptomatic plantar fascia demonstrated significant thickening and decreased in echogenicity either focally or diffusely. The mean thickness of plantar fascia on the symptomatic side was greater (0.50 cm) compared with the asymptomatic side (0.34 cm) (p<0.001). The proximal plantar fascia were hypoechoic on the symptomatic side in 47 cases (73%) and on the asymptomatic side in II case (19%). We conclude that high-resolution ultrasonography is a useful tool in the diagnosis of plantar fasciitis.