Musculoskeletal ultrasound - helping you identify pain and find its source

"Doctor, my hand is swollen, painful, and numb..."

"Doctor, my legs hurt so much that I can't walk..."

"Doctor, I can't lift my shoulders anymore..."

After the doctor asks questions and does a physical examination, he will usually ask the patient to do a "color Doppler ultrasound". At this time, many people are always confused, fearing that the doctor has ordered the wrong examination. The main reason for such doubts is the lack of understanding of "musculoskeletal ultrasound". Today we will talk to you about what musculoskeletal ultrasound is and what musculoskeletal ultrasound can do.

What is Musculoskeletal Ultrasound?

Musculoskeletal ultrasound is an examination method that uses high-frequency ultrasound probes to diagnose diseases of the musculoskeletal system. It can not only clearly display the structures of muscles, tendons, ligaments, joint cavities, synovium, peripheral nerves and other parts and their shape relationships, determine the scope, type and degree of lesions, but also evaluate the functional status of tendons and ligaments, etc., and can help clinicians accurately evaluate the disease conditions of musculoskeletal joints, so as to make accurate targeted treatments.

The department is equipped with Philips high-end color Doppler ultrasound instrument and high-frequency ultrasound probe used for musculoskeletal ultrasound examination

The patellar tendon of a normal knee joint is clearly visible under ultrasound: it is fibrous and hyperechoic in the long axis section. P. patella, T. tibia

What can musculoskeletal ultrasound examine?

(1) Injury to muscles, tendons and ligaments around joints caused by acute trauma, sports and chronic injuries, such as Achilles tendon rupture, rotator cuff tear, frozen shoulder, etc.

Doctor: "My shoulder hurts so much" Ultrasound examination revealed: Full-thickness tear of supraspinatus tendon in shoulder

Doctor: "I accidentally slipped while going downstairs" Ultrasound examination found: swelling after the medial collateral ligament of the right knee joint was sprained

(2) Rheumatic, immune and metabolic diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, gout, osteoarthritis, etc.

Gout patients: The big toe is swollen and painful. Ultrasound shows the formation of "tophus" in the first joint of the toe

Doctor: "My hand has been in a lot of pain lately." Osteoarthritis caused synovitis of the interphalangeal joint of the left thumb. Rheumatism caused tenosynovitis of the fourth bone fibrous canal (digitorum extensor tendon) of the right wrist.

(3) Cartilage and bone lesions, such as costal cartilage fractures, bone tumors, etc.

Rib fractures

(4) Peripheral neuropathy, including nerve compression, nerve-derived tumors, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, cubital tunnel syndrome, and schwannoma.

Carpal tunnel syndrome: The median nerve is compressed and thinned at the carpal tunnel, and thickened proximally.

What preparation is needed for a musculoskeletal ultrasound?

No special preparation is required except for exposing the site. What are the advantages of musculoskeletal ultrasound compared with X-ray and MRI?

1. Musculoskeletal ultrasound has no radiation, while X-ray is mainly used for skeletal system examination. 2. It is superior to MRI in showing subtle lesions, and is also applicable to patients with pacemakers who are not suitable for MRI. 3. Real-time dynamics: Since many musculoskeletal lesions of the limbs are only manifested during limb movement, real-time dynamic ultrasound examination of lesions that occur during active or passive limb movement has unparalleled advantages over other imaging examination methods. 4. The charge is similar to that of ordinary ultrasound, and the examination does not cause any harm to the body. Compared with other methods of examining muscles and joints, ultrasound musculoskeletal examination is cost-effective.