Diagnostic Ultrasound Q & A

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What is a diagnostic ultrasound?

Diagnostic ultrasound imaging is a safe, painless way to take pictures of the inside of your body using sound waves. Our doctors use a small probe, called a transducer, and gel to look inside your joints. The probe sends high-frequency sound waves through the gel into your body and creates an image from the sound waves that bounce back so we can see any injuries or problems.

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Ultrasounds are different from X-rays in that they do not use radiation to capture an image, so the procedure is completely safe and noninvasive.

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How does ultrasound help diagnose musculoskeletal conditions?

We use diagnostic ultrasound imaging to produce images of your muscles, tendons, joints, and other soft tissue in your body to help diagnose a sprain, tear, or strain. A common reason we perform diagnostic ultrasounds is to take images of the area where you receive pain injections to ensure accuracy and a better outcome. Other reasons include:

• Muscle tears

• Ligament sprains

• Joint inflammation like bursitis and arthritis

• Tendon tears or tendonitis in your shoulder or another area

• Ankle injuries, such as a ruptured Achilles tendon

• Areas of chronic pain

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Ultrasound allows us to diagnose your condition earlier in some situations, as is the case with inflammatory conditions like arthritis and bursitis. The sooner we can determine the cause of a swollen joint, the more effectively we can treat it and relieve you of discomfort and pain.

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What can I expect during an ultrasound appointment?

During your diagnostic ultrasound appointment, you lie on an exam table so we can apply a gel to your skin in the area where the ultrasound is needed. We glide the handheld transducer against your skin, through the gel so it can capture images as it moves. The images appear on a screen, where we can clearly see your muscles and other soft tissue.

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Ultrasounds should not be painful at all and are generally a comfortable experience. After the exam, we interpret the images to determine the underlying cause of your pain.

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Learn more about diagnostic ultrasounds and treatment methods for injuries, chronic joint pain, and other musculoskeletal conditions by calling our office to schedule a consultation.