Ganglion Cyst
KEY FACTS
Imaging
IMAGING
General Features
Dorsal wrist ganglia
Volar wrist ganglia
Finger
Acromioclavicular joint
Shoulder
Lumbar facet joints (not usually demonstrable by US)
Hip: Anterosuperior, usually associated with labral tear
Knee
Proximal tibiofibular joint
Distal tibiofibular syndesmosis
Foot and ankle: Cuneonavicular joint, intercuneiform joint, subtalar joint, talonavicular joint
Ultrasonographic Findings
Typical location
Elongated neck allows cyst to surface at distance from joint of origin
± multiloculated ± thin septations
± small comet-tail artifacts due to colloid aggregates
± inflammatory exudate: Inflammatory content of joint can extend into ganglia
Not compressible
No hyperemia except with recent leakage when surrounding tissues may be mildly hyperemic and edematous
Check for compression of small nerves, such as posterior interosseous nerve or superficial branch of radial nerve
Ganglion Cyst
arising from a defect in the dorsal capsule of the scapholunate ligament 
. The ligament remains functionally intact.
in the dorsal aspect of the wrist. The stalk of the ganglion 
extends toward the articulation between the scaphoid 
and the distal radius 
.
suggestive of a ganglion cyst.
arising from the dorsal aspect of the radioscaphoid articulation. There is mild septation 
within the ganglion. The radial epiphysis 
and scaphoid 
are shown. The small terminal branches of the posterior interosseous nerve, which may be compressed, are not easily visible on US.
