Joint and soft tissue ultrasound in Slavuta

What a joint and soft tissue ultrasound shows

Ultrasound shows soft tissues well: tendons, ligaments, muscles, the joint capsule and fluid inside the joint. The scan can show a torn ligament or tendon, an inflamed tendon, synovitis (inflammation of the joint lining) and cysts, such as a Baker’s cyst behind the knee. Lumps under the skin and in muscles, and bruising after a blow, are examined the same way.

What the doctor looks at depends on your complaint. For shoulder pain, they check the tendons that lift and rotate the arm and the bursa above them. In the knee, they look for fluid and a Baker’s cyst and check the patellar tendon. After a twisted ankle they assess the outer ligaments, and for heel pain the Achilles tendon and the plantar fascia. On the wrist, a ganglion, a cyst next to a joint or tendon, is a common finding.

A joint can be scanned while it moves. The doctor asks you to bend your knee or lift your arm and watches how the tendon glides and whether it gets pinched between bones. It’s easy to compare the painful side with the healthy one, which helps reveal small changes. If the pain only appears with a certain movement, remember it and show the doctor: that movement can be repeated under the probe.

Osteoarthritis is usually diagnosed by examination and X-ray, and ultrasound helps when fluid or inflammation around the joint needs checking. Ultrasound doesn’t show the inside of a bone. The menisci and cruciate ligaments of the knee are also hard to see, so if they might be damaged, the doctor may order an MRI.

How to prepare and what happens during the scan

No special preparation is needed. Wear clothes that make the joint easy to uncover, and bring X-rays and any previous MRI or ultrasound reports. The doctor applies gel and moves the probe over the joint, sometimes asking you to change position or move the limb. You feel the touch and pressure of the probe, and it can be uncomfortable over a sore spot. Ultrasound involves no radiation, so the scan can be repeated to see how healing is going.

After an injury: ultrasound or X-ray

Fractures and cracks are found on an X-ray. Go to a trauma unit (travmpunkt) or call an ambulance on 103 if you can’t stand on the leg, the limb looks deformed, the pain is very severe, the swelling grows quickly, or your fingers or toes go numb and cold. They will take an X-ray there and immobilize the limb. If none of these signs are present, see a Viva Clinic orthopedic and trauma doctor: they’ll examine the injured arm or leg and refer you for an X-ray if needed.

Once a fracture has been ruled out but the pain and swelling don’t go away, ultrasound helps assess the ligaments and tendons. The article on ligament sprains explains what to do in the first days after an injury.

If a joint suddenly becomes hot, red and swollen without an injury, especially with a fever, see a doctor the same day.

What to do with the results

Take the ultrasound report to a Viva Clinic orthopedic and trauma doctor. They will examine the joint, compare the exam with the results and draw up a treatment plan, and give you a referral for an X-ray, CT or MRI. If the scan shows inflammation of the joint lining or fluid in several joints, and your joints also swell and stay stiff for a long time in the morning, show the report to a rheumatologist. If you’re not sure who to see about your complaint, read about the difference between a traumatologist and an orthopedist.

Joint and soft tissue ultrasound at Viva Clinic is paid, and it is done in Slavuta, with no trip to Khmelnytskyi. Other tests at the polyclinic are listed on the ultrasound and diagnostics page.