Which test is positive for De Quervain's tenosynovitis?

• A. Phalen's test
• B. Finkelstein test
• C. Grind test
• D. Tinel's sign

Answer: (B)

The Finkelstein test is specifically designed to diagnose De Quervain's tenosynovitis, which is a condition affecting the tendons on the thumb side of the wrist. In the Finkelstein test, the patient makes a fist with the thumb tucked inside the other fingers and then the wrist is deviated toward the ulnar side (the little finger side). If this maneuver causes pain along the thumb tendons, it is considered a positive test, indicating inflammation of the abductor pollicis longus and extensor pollicis brevis tendons.

Other tests listed, such as Phalen’s test, are utilized to evaluate conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome, where median nerve entrapment is suspected. The Grind test is more relevant for assessing arthritis in the thumb or wrist joint, and Tinel's sign checks for nerve irritation but is unrelated to De Quervain's tenosynovitis. The specificity of the Finkelstein test makes it the appropriate choice for diagnosing this particular condition.