Diagnostic Musculoskeletal Ultrasound
Diagnostic Ultrasound is part of the necessary equipment for a properly organized orthopedic practice. The devices keep shrinking in volume significantly. Most are now portable, around the size of a laptop, such as General Electric’s LOGIQBook XP, which was acquired in June 2006 and has been in use ever since. Nowadays, a wireless probe the size of a smartphone is all that is required and it connects via Bluetooth with a smartphone or any other monitor.
Training in the field of diagnostic ultrasound of the musculoskeletal system lags behind significantly even for radiologists and is practically non-existent for most other medical specialties. However, the pre-existing excellent knowledge of anatomy combined with a diligent physical examination and aided by the incredible capabilities and imaging clarity of a modern and reliable US device account for a full diagnosis in the vast majority of cases. Of course, additional examinations may be prescribed, whenever appropriate.
The comparative advantages of ultrasound are the absence of ionizing radiation, the relatively affordable price of the necessary equipment and the availability of the method, practically an extension of the physical examination. Thus, the ultrasound investigation may be added to the four classic methods of physical assessment, i.e. inspection, palpation, auscultation and percussion.