Musculoskeletal, Pelvis & Spine Diagnostic Ultrasound

Background

Musculoskeletal ultrasound is a painless and safe way to look through the skin at the muscles, tendons, ligaments, and nerves in the body. Ultrasound can also visualize bone surfaces and certain cartilage surfaces, though it cannot penetrate through bone. Unlike X-rays or CT scans, diagnostic ultrasound avoids ionizing radiation, and it offers advantages over MRI in some situations.

A key benefit is the ability to perform a dynamic ultrasound exam — viewing a body part while it is moving or under tension. Rapid side-by-side comparison between an injured and an unaffected area is possible, and the exam can focus precisely on the site of pain. Research shows ultrasound performs as well as MRI for assessing many types of injury.

Dr. Mulvaney holds specialized RMSK (Registered in Musculoskeletal Sonography) qualification and has spent over two decades teaching physicians nationally and internationally on diagnostic ultrasound and ultrasound-guided procedures.

What to Expect and How to Prepare

There is no need for any special preparation. Patients may be given a gown if their clothing obstructs the area being scanned.

What Happens During the Exam?

Many different images of the injured joint or area are recorded, and you'll be given positioning instructions along the way. The exam is painless. A water-based, non-toxic, non-staining gel is applied and later removed. An ultrasound probe — containing over 100 small piezo-electric crystals — emits sound waves and records the echoes to build the image on screen. Doppler ultrasound can also visualize blood flow through vessels.

What to Do After Your Procedure

There are no special instructions after an ultrasound exam. Findings are discussed with you immediately, which helps guide treatment options. In some cases, a diagnostic ultrasound-guided lidocaine injection may be used to confirm the source of pain.