Introduction: The purpose of this study was to grade the severity of sonographic artifact produced by four suture materials and to determine whether these artifacts affect visualization of a digital nerve.
Methods: A needle was placed into a pig foot to mimic a normal volar digital nerve. Incisions superficial to the needle were closed with different suture types, specifically nylon (N), chromic (C), vicryl (V), and prolene (P). Sonographic images were obtained using a high-frequency transducer. Twenty radiology residents and attending physicians graded the severity of artifact and nerve obscuration. Two image types were shown: one suture type per image and a composite image of each suture type, adjacent to one another.
Results: Severity of nerve obscuration was as follows: composite image: P = N = V > C; individual images: P > N > V > C. Severity of artifact was: composite image: V = N > P > C; individual image: P > N > V > C.
Conclusion: Although all sutures produced artifact, only C produced mild artifact, which did not significantly obscure visualization of the nerve model.
Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.