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| Assistant Doctor Vladka Salapura, MD, specialist in radiology | |||
| Ana Katarina limpel Novak, MD, specialist in radiology |
Ana Katarina limpel Novak, MD, specialist in radiology
The ultrasound examination of the musculoskeletal system is non-invasive, harmless and repeatable.
The examination focuses on joint-related soft tissue structures of different joints or examines different groups of muscles. The most frequent aim of the examination is to assess the structure and course of muscles, muscular tendons and joint-related ligaments. It can detect the condition of the described structures or inflammatory changes in them. The most frequent targets of the ultrasound examination are shoulder, knee, elbow, ankle and hip joints as well as small joints of the arms and legs. The examination enables an extremely good assessment of small, superficial, soft tissue structures in different joints and offers a possibility of both static and dynamic assessment of structures.
Preparation for examination
No particular preparations are required for the ultrasound scan. Patients who are examined either sit or lie, which depends on the joint examined. It is very important for the examination that the joint under examination is at least passively mobile so that the joint position can be changed appropriately during the procedure. This is the only way to demonstrate and assess the course of individual joint-related structures. This is of particular importance for the dynamic assessment of changes.
It is very important for the correct assessment of the ultrasound scan findings that patients bring all medical documentation (results, images) related to the problems which made them have the examination.
The usual duration of the examination is 20 minutes.