Türkmen Şeyma, Ata Serap, Ulu Kadir, Sözeri Betül
Department of Pediatric Rheumatology, Ümraniye Training and Research Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey.
Department of Pediatrics, Ümraniye Training and Research Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey.
Rheumatology (Oxford). 2025 Apr 1;64(4):2171-2178. doi: 10.1093/rheumatology/keae484.
This study aims to establish normative data on lower extremity entheseal tendon thicknesses in healthy children and examine correlations with age, gender, and anthropometric measures using musculoskeletal ultrasound. The secondary objective of the study is to investigate the power Doppler properties of entheseal tendons.
A total of 192 healthy children, aged 5-18 years, participated in this cross-sectional study. Participants underwent detailed physical and ultrasonographic examinations. Entheseal tendon thickness measurements were taken from five specific regions: distal quadriceps tendon (DQT), proximal patellar ligament (PPL), distal patellar ligament (DPL), Achilles tendon (AT), and plantar fascia (PF). Correlations between thicknesses and age, weight, height, and BMI were analysed. Intra-tendinous vascularity was evaluated using power Doppler. Interobserver and intraobserver agreements were assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC).
Normative data on lower extremity entheseal tendon thicknesses according to age, weight, height, and BMI have been established. Significant positive correlations were found between thicknesses and age, weight, height, and BMI. Weight was identified as the most influential factor, particularly for the DPL and AT. Right side tendons (AT and PF) are statistically thicker. Minimal Doppler activity was detected in 10.6% of the entheseal DQTs in the group of children aged 5-9 years. The study achieved high to excellent interobserver and intraobserver agreement.
This study examined the ultrasonographic characteristics of lower extremity entheseal tendons in healthy children using B-mode and power Doppler, provided normative data on their thicknesses, and demonstrated significant correlations between tendon thicknesses and both age and anthropometric measures.
本研究旨在建立健康儿童下肢附着点肌腱厚度的标准数据，并使用肌肉骨骼超声检查其与年龄、性别和人体测量指标的相关性。本研究的次要目的是研究附着点肌腱的能量多普勒特性。
共有192名年龄在5至18岁的健康儿童参与了这项横断面研究。参与者接受了详细的体格检查和超声检查。从五个特定区域测量附着点肌腱厚度：股四头肌远端肌腱（DQT）、髌韧带近端（PPL）、髌韧带远端（DPL）、跟腱（AT）和足底筋膜（PF）。分析厚度与年龄、体重、身高和BMI之间的相关性。使用能量多普勒评估肌腱内血管情况。使用组内相关系数（ICC）评估观察者间和观察者内的一致性。
已建立了根据年龄、体重、身高和BMI的下肢附着点肌腱厚度的标准数据。发现厚度与年龄、体重、身高和BMI之间存在显著正相关。体重被确定为最有影响的因素，尤其是对DPL和AT。右侧肌腱（AT和PF）在统计学上更厚。在5至9岁儿童组中，10.6%的附着点DQT检测到最小多普勒活动。本研究在观察者间和观察者内达成了高至优秀的一致性。
本研究使用B模式和能量多普勒检查了健康儿童下肢附着点肌腱的超声特征，提供了其厚度的标准数据，并证明了肌腱厚度与年龄和人体测量指标之间存在显著相关性。
