On-Site Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Imaging
Musculoskeletal ultrasound is a safe, noninvasive imaging technique that uses a handheld transducer and gel to send high-frequency sound waves into your body. The returning echoes are transformed into real-time images of your muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints and nerves. This allows our specialists to evaluate soft tissue injuries like tendon tears, sprains, bursitis, fluid collections and nerve entrapments, as well as early changes associated with arthritis. Because ultrasound captures motion in real time, we can watch how a joint or tendon moves and even guide injections or aspirations with pinpoint accuracy. The procedure is quick and comfortable, with no exposure to ionizing radiation.
Musculoskeletal ultrasound is one of the best tools for evaluating soft‑tissue injuries and chronic conditions. Providers use it to diagnose sprains, strains and tears of tendons, muscles and ligaments; trapped nerves and carpal tunnel syndrome; joint inflammation and bursitis; and masses such as ganglion cysts or tumors. Because the test can capture images in real time, your doctor can watch how tissues move and even assess blood flow. Ultrasound is portable, cost‑effective and free of the risks associated with radiation or contrast injections.
Tendon injuries such as tears or tendinitis (rotator cuff, Achilles and others); Muscle tears, masses or fluid collections; Ligament sprains or tears; Inflammation and effusions in joints and bursae; Early rheumatoid arthritis changes; Nerve entrapments like carpal tunnel syndrome; Benign and malignant soft‑tissue tumors; Ganglion cysts and other masses; Foreign bodies embedded in soft tissue; Infant hip dysplasia or hip fluid; Hernias or neck muscle abnormalities in infants.
Ultrasound exams require little to no preparation. Wear comfortable, loose‑fitting clothing; you may be asked to remove jewelry and wear a gown. During the exam you will sit or lie down while a clinician places a warm gel and the transducer on the area being examined. They may move the probe around to capture different views and ask you to move the affected limb so they can see the structures in motion. The test is painless and usually takes only a few minutes, and you can resume normal activities immediately after.
By offering ultrasound on‑site, Next Journey Orthopaedics eliminates the need to travel to a separate imaging facility. Your clinician can perform the exam, review the images with you immediately, and often provide ultrasound‑guided injections or other procedures during the same visit. On‑site ultrasound means faster diagnosis, less waiting and more coordinated care so you can start recovering sooner.