Diagnostic Musculoskeletal Ultrasound

Diagnostic musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSKUS) is a safe, effective, and dynamic form of imaging modality that uses high frequency broadband sound waves to reflect off tissue and produce a 2D image. Dr. Pesa uses MSKUS to view muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves, and joints. MSKUS can be consistently used throughout an episode of care to visualize tissue structure changes over time. Viewing these structures in real time and using it as an adjunct to clinical findings is highly effective monitoring progress and recovery. MSKUS is crucial in the diagnosis of musculoskeletal pathologies including, but not limited to tendinopathies, muscle strains, and ligament sprains.

An additional benefit to MSKUS is that we are able to view structures dynamically. There is a large body of evidence that has shown diagnostic musculoskeletal ultrasound to be equal to or better than MRI for accurate diagnoses of achilles tendinopathy, peripheral nerve injuries, lateral epicondylitis, muscle tears, and rotator cuff tears.

As an example of its capabilities, diagnosis of full thickness rotator cuff tears using diagnostic musculoskeletal ultrasound had a sensitivity and specificity of 95% & 92.5% compared to 85% and 92% using MRI in this study by Sabharwal et al: (Click here to ready study)

A study by Gatz et al. has shown that diagnostic musculoskeletal ultrasound was more favorable when diagnosing insertional Achilles tendinopathy (95% accuracy) compared to MRI (89% accuracy). Diagnosis of mid-portion Achilles tendinopathy was equal to MRI imaging (86% for MSKUS and 87% for MRI): (Click here to read study)

If you have suffered a soft tissue injury, contact us to see if you would be appropriate for screening using diagnostic musculoskeletal ultrasound.

Cutting Edge Technology

At Alpine Physical Therapy and Fitness, we incorporate the cutting-edge technology of Diagnostic Musculoskeletal Ultrasound to visualize and evaluate the musculoskeletal system of our patients. When used as an adjunct to clinical findings, this non-invasive imaging modality allows us to delve deeper into our examination of soft tissues, tendons, muscles, ligaments, and joints, enhancing our assessment accuracy and guiding targeted treatments.

Common applications include:

Tendon pathologies (tears, tendinopathies), muscle strains or tears, ligament sprains or tears, joint abnormalities, soft tissue masses (cysts, tumors), bursitis, nerve entrapments, and more.

Benefits include:

+   Real-time Imaging: Witness the dynamic movements of your muscles, tendons, and

ligaments in real-time.

+   Safety: Ultrasound uses sound waves, not radiation, making it safe for repeated use without the risks associated with other imaging modalities.

+   Accuracy: Precise identification of soft tissue injuries and abnormalities can guide

treatment decisions and interventions.

+   Immediate Feedback: No waiting times for results; we can review and discuss findings during your appointment.

+   Cost-Effective: Often more affordable than MRI and X-ray while boasting a strong base of evidence for being more or just as effective as MRI in diagnostic accuracy.

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Call us at (650) 242-0777 or book an appointment online. Your road to full recovery starts here!

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