There have been incredible advancements in the field of regenerative medicine, one of which is the way that we diagnose injuries and how we use diagnostic ultrasound to guide our injections. Ultrasound was not the traditional diagnostic tool for many years, but recently it has proven to be incredibly useful for diagnosing and guiding the needle for musculoskeletal injuries. Add to that, its ability to be used as image guidance for injections that require extreme precision. This 2019 study highlights the incredible effectiveness of ultrasound when diagnosing musculoskeletal injuries as well as results allowing for a detailed evaluation of soft tissues including nerves, ligaments, and tendons.
The team of experts at Maragal Medical specializes in the use of diagnostic ultrasound equipment with injection guidance. Our team is highly trained and experience using ultrasound to administer treatments as well as make accurate deductions from the images it presents. We have used diagnostic ultrasound on countless clients to detect otherwise hidden or underlying issues.
How Does Ultrasound Work?
Ultrasound is exactly as the name suggests, a very high-frequency sound. The soundwaves emitted from the probe or transducer is well above the range that is detectable by the human ear, meaning you can’t actually hear the sound waves being used.
The science behind ultrasound is very similar to that of echolocation in animals. The probe emits a sound wave that permeates the skin, contacts the various internal layers like muscle, tendons, and bone, and is reflected back to the transducer where it is converted into electrical signals and eventually, an image.
The doctor will apply a clear, odorless gel to the target area. This gel prevents any air pockets from forming between the probe and your skin that could interfere with the image. The gel is completely harmless and easily washes off, leaving no marks.
Benefits of Ultrasound
There is an extensive list of benefits associated with ultrasound that make it the clear choice over CT and MRI scans with regards to diagnosing musculoskeletal injuries. Here is a list of some of the most noteworthy benefits of ultrasound imaging:
Non-invasive and painless – Ultrasound is able to image the inside of your body without any incisions or injections of any kind. The process is completely painless as ultrasound utilizes harmless sound waves to generate images.
Completely Safe – Ultrasound is perfectly safe because it doesn’t rely on ionizing radiation like X-rays and CT scans (which can be dangerous if routinely repeated)
Dynamic Imaging – You don’t need to sit still when performing an ultrasound. In fact, moving images can show your muscular contractions and joint movements to point out sticking points or causes of pain. images are captured in real-time allowing doctors to watch the motion of tendons, muscles, and joints.
Cost-Efficient – It is significantly less expensive than other imaging methods, like MRI or CT scans that utilize complex and expensive machinery
Soft Tissue Imaging – Ultrasound interacts positively with soft tissues, creating detailed images that are much easier to work with than say, an X-ray which is more effective at imaging bones.
Pace-maker Safe – MRIs aren’t safe options for patients with pacemakers, luckily ultrasound has no effect on them, making it the obvious choice.
Real-Time Image Guidance – Doctors can use ultrasound to get a real-time visual of the area they are administering treatment to. This enables them to use it as a guide for minimally invasive procedures such as aspiration (withdrawing fluid) and regenerative therapy injections like PRP and other orthobiologic injections.
Ready to Learn More About Diagnostic Ultrasound with regenerative medicine injections?
If you have any questions or concerns about diagnostic ultrasound and it’s use with our injection therapy, reach out to the specialists at Maragal Medical for more information! Call or book an appointment online and take the first step towards getting back to doing the things you love to do!