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Imaging Department (Ultrasound)

"Ultrasound may actually have advantages over MRI in seeing tendon structure, which is better appreciated by ultrasound than MRI."
- www.radiologyinfo.org

What is Ultrasound Imaging of the Musculoskeletal System?

Ultrasound imaging involves exposing part of the body to high-frequency sound waves to produce pictures of the inside of the body. Ultrasound exams do not use ionizing radiation (as used in x-rays). Because ultrasound images are captured in real-time, they can show the structure and movement of the body's internal organs.

Common uses:

Ultrasound images are typically used to help diagnose:

• Tendon tears, such as tears of the rotator cuff in the shoulder or
• Achilles tendon in the ankle.
• Abnormalities of the muscles, such as tears and soft-tissue masses.
• bleeding or other fluid collections within the muscles, bursae and Joints.
  

What are the limitations of Ultrasound Imaging of the Musculoskeletal System?

Ultrasound has difficulty penetrating bone and therefore can only see the outer surface of bony structures and not what lies within. For visualising internal structure of bones or certain joints, other imaging modalities such as MRI are typically used.

Benefits

• Non-invasive and painless.
  
• Uses no ionising radiation.
  
• Gives a clear picture of soft tissues that do not show up well on x-ray images.
  
• Causes no health problems and may be repeated as often as is necessary.
  
• Provides real-time imaging.
  
• Unlike the strong magnetic field of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ultrasound is not affected by cardiac pacemakers, ferromagnetic implants or fragments within the body. Ultrasound is also an excellent alternative to MRI for claustrophobic patients.
  
• Ultrasound may actually have advantages over MRI in seeing tendon structure, which is better appreciated by ultrasound than MRI.

Risks

For standard diagnostic ultrasound there are no known harmful effects on humans.

Please note: Diagnosis is made based on all clinical information available and is never made based on imaging information alone.