De Quervain Tenosynovitis: Radiographic Findings

De Quervain tenosynovitis is a stenosing tenosynovitis of the first dorsal compartment of the wrist at the radial styloid. While diagnosis is primarily clinical (e.g., the Finkelstein test), MRI can be used for confirmation. Radiographs may be normal or reveal soft tissue swelling along the radial styloid process (seen in above image).

In addition, focal bony radial styloid abnormalities have been found to correlate with the presence of de Quervain tenosynovitis. These include radial styloid periosteal bone formation and cortical erosion without and with sclerosis (image above) distal to the level of the physeal plate remnant.

A normal variant that should not be confused with cortical irregularity of the distal radius is the normal cortical contour bulge or peak at the level of the physeal plate remnant.

References

Chien AJ, Jacobson JA, Martel W, Kabeto MU, Marcantonio DR. Focal radial styloid abnormality as a manifestation of de Quervain tenosynovitis. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2001 Dec;177(6):1383-6.