Musculoskeletal Ultrasound

Muscle: Muscle injury, large tears and haematomas (bruises).

Tendon: These connect muscle to bone. Tendons in many parts of the body are readily visible with ultrasound, in particular the shoulder, ankle and Achilles tendon.

Bursae: These are sac-like structures filled with fluid found close to joints. Superficial bursae are found between bone and skin. Deep bursae separate a joint from overlying tendons and ligaments. A swollen bursa can be detected with ultrasound, most commonly seen around the shoulder, knee and hip joints.

Ligaments: These connect bone to bone. Some ligaments can be demonstrated with ultrasound. Others require Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI).

Preparation: No preparation for these scans.