Ultrasonography for quantitative assessment of knee joint effusions—useful tool for objective evaluation of rehabilitation progress?

Purpose We sought to externally validate ultrasonography (US) for quantification of suprapatellar effusion size to improve diagnosis and individualised rehabilitation strategies in knee rehabilitation after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) surgery. Methods US was performed on 35 patients as part of the ongoing CAMOPED study. Data were collected in ACLR and post surgery in defined intervals up to one year post-operation. The palpatory assessment was graded using the International Knee Documentation Committee (oIKDC). Results In a total of 164 sonographies, a strong correlation between palpatory and US effusion ( r = 0.83, p