Musculoskeletal Ultrasound
Here at Alpine Natural Health, our focus is on regenerative medicine and regenerative therapy.
What is MSK Ultrasound?
Musculoskeletal ultrasound is a diagnostic imaging technique that uses high-frequency sound waves to create images of muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, and bones. This type of ultrasound is commonly used to evaluate and diagnose musculoskeletal conditions, such as injuries, inflammation, and degenerative diseases.
The beauty is that you can ultrasound whilst doing dynamic muscle testing. Sometimes the issue can’t be seen when the joint is static - as in the case of an MRI or X-ray. We know that, often, your injury hurts or clicks only during movement. Due to this, static imaging may not reveal the problem.
This is where musculoskeletal ultrasound excels. We can pinpoint your pain by having you do the movement that brings on the pain whilst doing an MSK ultrasound scan of the area. Some injuries are due to a stretch or sprain of a ligament, creating a feeling of instability and pain. Ultrasound can image these ligaments while the joint or tissue is being stressed to see what truly is going on.
Avoid the wait time for an MRI with our alternative option
Musculoskeletal Ultrasound screenings are a key part of our Regenerative Medicine offerings at Alpine Natural Health.
MSK Ultrasound can detect:
torn tendon
strained tendon
sprained ankle
tendinopathy
shoulder injury
torn muscle
jumper’s knee
knee pain
hip pain (i.e. acetabular labral tear, etc)
rotator cuff tear
soft tissue conditions
carpal tunnel syndrome
bursitis
baker’s cyst
osteoarthritis
patellar tendonopathy
rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
fibromyalgia
vasculitis
tenosynovitis
psoriatic arthritis and other similar conditions
Benefits of Ultrasound
No Radiation
Musculoskeletal ultrasound screenings are safe and noninvasive. An MSK ultrasound uses a high-frequency sound wave to create an image of soft tissues. There are no contraindications for doing a musculoskeletal ultrasound. There is no radiation with an MSK ultrasound and it is painless to do the scan.
Doppler
An added feature of the ultrasound machine is the use of Doppler. Doppler detects blood flow. Active inflammation, when the body is attempting to heal itself, brings on blood flow to the damaged area. Doppler will detect this.
Doppler also offers an alternative to dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI, which may cause further inflammation and joint damage. This is especially important for patients with early signs of rheumatoid arthritis.
Unique Comparisons
What about the importance of our unique bodies and body types? Maybe your tendons are naturally thicker than the average person. Looking at only the injured side, an MRI or X-ray might miss this important fact about your specific body type.
Fortunately, an MSK ultrasound scan can do a quick left / right comparison. Comparing both sides is helpful to know if there in fact is pathology present. Seeing this on both sides reduces the likelihood that there is a tendonpathy, or a thicker tendon.
Shoulders are a great application of Musculoskeletal ultrasound. It can rule outbursitis. Rotator cuff tears or tendonopathy are easily seen. The beauty is that scanning of the shoulder can be done with movement, looking for impingement syndromes.
Knee ultrasound is useful in looking for jumper’s knee, patellar tendonopathy, fluid within the joint. The presence or absence of a baker’s cyst can be seen clearly on an ultrasound. Dynamic testing of the medial and lateral collateral ligaments under ultrasound can look for these ligament tears.
You can book strictly for an ultrasound screening exam. The area of injury will be scanned and images can be provided for you. Appointments can usually be done within two weeks of booking, helping you to avoid the long waits for an MRI.
Ultrasound is great for looking at muscles, tendons, ligaments and other soft tissue injuries often caused by sports injuries. To learn more about how a musculoskeletal ultrasound screening can start you on the path to healing, please contact Dr. Deirdre O'Neill to book your appointment.
Talk with Dr. O'Neill about your options during a free 15-minute phone consultation
Take charge of your health and recovery by booking today for your free 15-minute phone consultation