Ultrasound examination (USG) of muscles enables the diagnosis of damage within all elements of the examined muscle (abdomen, tendons and tendon attachments to the bones). Ultrasound examination allows for precise evaluation of the limb muscles and superficial muscles of the neck and trunk. During ultrasound, the location of muscle damage or displacement of the tendon stump in the event of a rupture can be determined. In addition, it is possible to evaluate the healing process of tendons and muscles during conservative treatment as well as after repair or reconstructive procedures. Ultrasound examination also allows the detection of inflammation, exudate, degenerative changes and the presence of soft tissue tumors.
Make an appointment now - to the doctor who performs ultrasound of muscles and soft tissues in our hospital
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An invaluable advantage of muscle ultrasound is the ability to assess the muscle and the surrounding tissues during movement in real time. Easy accessibility, non-invasiveness and relatively low cost of the examination make USG the basic diagnostic method in the field of soft tissue imaging of the musculoskeletal system. In the case of areas that are difficult to reach or soft tissues not visible to the extent available on ultrasound (e.g. due to traumatic edema or a thick layer of fat tissue), your doctor may decide to perform an MRI.
Indications for ultrasound of muscles and soft tissues
The indications for an ultrasound examination are acute injuries, sports injuries or chronic ailments and other disturbing symptoms concerning muscles and soft tissues:
Muscle or tendon tear (pain when moving, muscle weakness)
Muscle or tendon rupture (great difficulty or inability to perform a given movement),
Pain in the tendon or muscle after overload,
Contusion of the muscle and / or soft tissues (presence of bruises),
Local tenderness and soreness of soft tissues,
Suspicion of nerve compression by a hematoma, muscle swelling (e.g. fingers rattling after a forearm injury),
The presence of foreign bodies (glass shards, filings) in soft tissues,
Changes in the volume of the muscle belly,
A lump in the subcutaneous tissue is palpable.
What does a muscle ultrasound look like?
The examination does not require special preparation and is painless. During the ultrasound, the doctor moves a special ultrasound head emitting ultrasound waves over the examined area. The image obtained thanks to the reflection of ultrasonic waves from the tissues is observed on the monitor screen. The position of the patient during the examination depends on the muscle being assessed and may be changed during the examination. The doctor may move the patient's limb or may ask the patient to perform a movement on their own - this is called dynamic ultrasound examination.
During the ultrasound examination, the doctor assesses:
Abdominal muscle,
Musculoskeletal connections,
The tendon of the muscle with its attachment to the bone.
The doctor also assesses the elements that are structurally or functionally related to the muscle being examined:
Tendons or tendon sheaths surrounding the tendons
Straps that hold the tendons in their anatomical position,
Bursae to reduce friction at the glide of muscle tendons,
The main vessels and nerves in the studied area,
Fascia and subcutaneous tissue.
A dynamic ultrasound examination allows for the assessment of the mutual sliding of tissues, the tension and rotation of the musculotendinous apparatus, as well as possible skipping of tendons or tissues trapped by scars or tissue-bone conflicts. Controlled tissue compression may be useful in assessing the compliance and elasticity of the scar and suspicious lesions (cysts, solid tumors).
The Doppler ultrasound option makes it possible to visualize the vascularization of the examined area. This helps to identify the presence of an inflammatory or pathological pattern of vascularization typical of malignant neoplastic lesions.
What does ultrasound detect?
The following are examples of abnormalities that can be detected by ultrasound:
Shoulder rotator cuff tendon injuries, subacromial isthmus syndrome during dynamic abduction of the shoulder, subacchial-deltoid bursitis - read more in shoulder ultrasound,
Degeneration of proximal attachments of the extensor or flexor muscles of the wrist - the tennis and golfer's elbow,
Finger muscle tendon injuries - read more about finger injuries,
Damage to the muscles attached to the pubic bone - the so-called sports pub,
Inflammation of the knee goose foot,
Iliobibial band friction syndrome,
Achilles tendon pathologies,
Achilles tendon rupture,
Plantar fasciitis.
Source:
Czyrny Z: Standards for musculoskeletal ultrasound. J Ultrason 2017; 17: 182–187.
Frequently asked questions about muscle ultrasound:
During the ultrasound examination, the doctor moves a head emitting ultrasound waves over the examined area. The test does not emit ionizing radiation harmful to the body, therefore it is completely safe and can be repeated freely. During the ultrasound scan, your doctor may ask you to move your limb or tighten a muscle. This enables the functional assessment of the muscle and the mutual displacement of the surrounding soft tissues.
Ultrasound examination enables the diagnosis of overload conditions, acute sports injuries and chronic diseases affecting the skeletal muscles of the body. Ultrasound also allows detecting tissue conflicts, e.g. compression of a nerve by a hematoma or inflammatory edema. In addition, thanks to ultrasound, it is possible to detect tumors of the muscle tissue, which allows for quick commissioning of additional tests differentiating benign lesions from malignant neoplastic lesions.
