Musculoskeletal (MSK) Ultrasound Scans

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The musculoskeletal (MSK) system is composed of your bones (skeleton), muscles, ligaments, joints, tendons, cartilage and other connective tissues. MSK ultrasound scans have a wide range of applications, and are a quick and non-invasive procedure. Ultrasound scans can help you get to the bottom of your symptoms, and gain access the right treatment.

Ultrasound scans work using high-frequency sound waves, which bounce off the tissues of your body to generate images. A scanning probe, also known as a transducer, emits these sound waves and then collects the echoes as they reflect off the tissues and organs inside your body. A computer uses this information to compile images on a screen in real-time.

MSK ultrasound is a large category of many different types of body scan, which can be used on the arms, legs, hands, feet, joints (such as ankle, shoulder, elbow, wrist, knee) and a wide range of soft tissues. They are commonly used to assess sports injuries as well as general aches and pains.

Some examples of MSK ultrasound scan uses include:

• Assessing any joint, for example the shoulder joint for rotator cuff disease. Ultrasound scans allow real-time images to be captured while the body is in motion, so they can help doctors to see if there is any catching or irregularity when you move your joint around.
• Checking for lumps and bumps, including soft tissue tumors such as lipomas
• Examining the tendons, for example ankle tendons.
• Imaging the groin to look for hernias

Musculoskeletal (MSK) ultrasound scans can be used to show many different joints, soft tissues (like muscles, tendons and ligaments), and even the spine. The MSK body part scans we offer include:

• Ankle or foot
• Thigh or calf
• Joints like the elbow, hip, wrist, shoulder and knee
• Upper or lower arm
• Lumbar, thoracic or cervical spine

As MSK imaging using ultrasound has so many applications, it is a highly useful tool for assessing injuries, tumors, growths, abnormalities and other health concerns. Examples include:

• Muscle tears
• Tendonitis (inflamed tendons), either from overuse, injury, disease or infection
• Bursitis
• Joint problems
• Arthritis
• Tumors and cysts
• Conditions like tennis elbow or golfer’s elbow
• Infection
• Swelling