Heel pad thickness: determination by high-resolution ultrasonography

Abstract

Heel pad thickness classically is increased in acromegaly and can also be noted in long-term Dilantin therapy. A high-resolution 10-MHz dedicated superficial small parts real-time scanner was used to evaluate heel pad thickness without the use of radiation and without the magnification inherent in the standard procedure, a lateral radiograph of the foot. Fifty-four patients were studied, and it was determined in 10 controls that heel pad thickness averaged 16.6 mm. In 38 diabetics without ulcers of the feet, the heel pad was 17.8 mm. A single treated acromegalic had a heel pad thickness of 21 mm. Ultrasonography offers an effective alternative to radiography in the measurement of heel pad thickness.