Musculoskeletal Echo

They are useful to visualize partial or total tears in tendons, muscles and nerves, capsular thickening in various arthritic conditions, presence of calcifications and many others. Ultrasound is a safe, non-invasive and non-radiative method of investigation.
It requires no special preparation beforehand.

Ultrasound is a safe and painless investigation. It takes images inside the body using ultrasound. It is performed with a small sample called a transducer and a gel applied directly to the skin. High-frequency ultrasound travels from the transducer through the gel into the body. The transducer collects the ultrasound, which returns and a computer converts it into images. Ultrasound does not irradiate because it does not use X-rays.Because the images captured are in real time, we can make an assessment of the moving muscles. Ultrasound can also follow the blood flow through the blood vessels.
Ultrasound is a non-invasive method that helps both to establish the diagnosis and to guide the treatment (guiding infiltrations)

– tendinitis or tendon ruptures of the rotator cuff, Achilles tendon and other tendons in the body.
– muscle tears,hematomas or fluid collections,
– partial or complete ligament injuries,
– bursitis or fluid accumulations in joints,
– early changes occurring in rheumatoid arthritis
– nerve compressions such as in carpal tunnel syndrome,
– benign or malignant soft tissue tumors,
– synovial cysts,
– hernia,
– soft tissue foreign body,
– congenital dislocation of the hip in children,
– neck muscle abnormalities in children with torticollis,
– fluid in the hip joint in children

A light garment that can be easily undressed,
on the examined area the doctor will apply a gel.

The ultrasound scanner consists of a computer console, a monitor, to which a transducer is attached. The transducer is a small hand-held device that resembles a microphone. During certain investigations, more than one type of transducer may be used in the same examination. The transducer emits ultrasound that travels through the body and picks up echoes from the tissues.The principle is the same as sonar on a submarine.
The doctor applies a gel to the area being examined and places the transducer on it. The gel is a transport medium for ultrasound to the body. Ultrasound images are visible on the monitor. The computer creates images based on amplitude, frequency and the time the ultrasound echoes return to the transducer.

When an ultrasound hits a body, it comes back as an echo. By measuring these echo waves, we can determine how far away the object is, its dimensions, edges and consistency. This is possible whether the object is solid or liquid. In medicine ultrasound is used to see if there are changes in organs, tissues and vessels, to detect abnormal growths such as tumors. During the ultrasound examination, the transducer will send ultrasound and record echo waves, which are immediately measured by the calcaulator and converted into images on the monitor. These images can be saved and printed on paper, stick.

For the musculoskeletal examination the patient lies face up or face down on the examination bed or in a chair. During the examination the doctor may ask you to make certain movements for a dynamic evaluation of the muscles, tendons or joints.
After positioning the patient, the doctor applies a gel on the area to be examined and then applies the transducer over the gel, tightly glued to the skin, to eliminate air bubbles that can block the ultrasound.
There is no pain when the transducer is applied, just a slight pressure.If the area being examined is inflamed, you may feel a slight discomfort.
At the end of the examination the gel is removed from the skin. The gel does not normally stain or discolor clothes.

Most ultrasounds are painless, quick and easily tolerated.
Musculoskeletal ultrasound takes between 15 and 30 minutes.
After the musculoskeletal ultrasound you are able to resume normal activities.
You receive the written report together with images suggestive of the diagnosis.

Benefits:
– are non-invasive,
– are painless,
– faster to schedule, easier to perform and less expensive than other imaging methods,
– are safe and non-irritating,
– gives us clear images of tissues,
– provides us with dynamic images and is useful as a method for guiding infiltrations
– in patients with pacemakers or metallic implants who cannot perform MRI, ultrasound is a solution,
– ultrasound is also a good alternative to MRI for claustrophobic patients,
– compared to MRI it can give us details about tendons and nerves and also visualize tendon, muscle and joint in dynamics (in motion)
– unlike MRI ultrasound is faster and the patient does not have to sit still
– useful in examining the hip joint in children.

Risks:
– not known

Ultrasound penetrates the bone with difficulty, being able to visualize only the near edge of the bone. For details related to the bone the patient is referred to X-ray or CT.
In overweight patients ultrasound may not be able to penetrate deep tissue.
Ultrasound cannot detect spinal problems.