Diagnostic Ultrasound Scan in Birmingham
Musculoskeletal imaging to support assessment, diagnosis and treatment planning.
The Podiatry & Physiotherapy Clinics provides point-of-care musculoskeletal ultrasound as part of podiatry and physiotherapy assessment and treatment.
Ultrasound can help assess soft-tissue injuries around joints, including tendons, ligaments, bursae, nerves and other soft tissue structures.
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Non-invasive scan
Ultrasound is a safe, painless test used to view soft tissues without radiation.
Used with assessment
The scan is interpreted alongside your symptoms, movement and clinical findings.
Clear next steps
Your clinician explains what the findings mean and which treatment route may be suitable.
What is a musculoskeletal ultrasound scan?
Musculoskeletal ultrasound is a non-invasive imaging test that helps clinicians assess muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, nerves and soft tissues.
The images are shown in real time on a screen, meaning the clinician can assess the area and, where useful, see how soft tissue structures move.
Areas ultrasound may help assess
Diagnostic ultrasound can support assessment of many musculoskeletal problems across the shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee, foot and ankle.
Shoulder
Rotator cuff tendinopathy, bursitis, impingement, calcific tendonitis and joint swelling.
Elbow
Tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow, bursitis, biceps or triceps tendon problems and nerve-type symptoms.
Hand & wrist
Carpal tunnel, wrist sprains, De Quervain’s, trigger finger, joint swelling and tendon injury.
Hip
Greater trochanteric pain, bursitis, snapping hip, tendon problems and joint swelling.
Knee
Patellar tendon pain, Baker’s cyst, bursitis, ligament sprain, runner’s knee and joint swelling.
Foot & ankle
Achilles pain, plantar fasciitis, Morton’s neuroma, ligament injuries, bursitis and tendon issues.
Why ultrasound can be useful
Ultrasound can provide fast, real-time information about many soft-tissue structures and can help guide some minimally invasive treatments where appropriate.
Diagnostic ultrasound does not use ionising radiation, unlike X-ray imaging.
The scan can show tissues moving, which can be useful when symptoms are movement-related.
Ultrasound is useful for many tendons, ligaments, bursae, joints, nerves and soft tissues.
Ultrasound can help guide injections and fluid aspiration where clinically appropriate.
Your scan appointment, step by step
The scan is straightforward and is usually completed within a short appointment window.
Prepare
Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing. You may need to uncover the area being scanned.
Scan
Gel is applied to the skin and the clinician moves the ultrasound probe over the area being examined.
Assess
The scan findings are considered alongside your musculoskeletal assessment and symptoms.
Plan
Your clinician explains the findings and discusses treatment, referral or reporting where needed.
Clear findings, explained simply
Your clinician will analyse the ultrasound images and correlate them with your musculoskeletal assessment. They can explain the outcome, provide a diagnosis or report where appropriate, and discuss the treatment plan with you.
- Scan findings linked back to your symptoms
- Clear explanation of what has been seen
- Treatment options discussed after assessment
- Referral or further imaging if ultrasound is not enough
When ultrasound is useful and when another scan may be better
Ultrasound is excellent for many soft-tissue problems, but it is not the right answer for every condition. Your clinician will explain whether ultrasound is suitable or whether X-ray, MRI or onward referral would give better information.
- Tendons, ligaments and bursae
- Soft-tissue swelling or fluid
- Selected nerve or cyst-related concerns
- Guiding selected injections where appropriate
- Looking inside bone
- Some deep joint structures
- Conditions where MRI or X-ray is more appropriate
- Symptoms that need urgent medical investigation
Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing. You may need to remove clothing or jewellery around the area being scanned, and the ultrasound gel is wiped off after the scan.
Guided treatment where suitable
Ultrasound can also be used to guide injections into selected joints and soft tissues, or to support fluid aspiration where clinically appropriate.
Diagnostic ultrasound questions, answered
Helpful answers before booking a musculoskeletal ultrasound appointment in Harborne, Birmingham.
Call the clinic and the team can guide you towards the most suitable appointment.
Call 0121 285 5656Most ultrasound scans are painless, fast and well tolerated. You may feel mild pressure from the probe over a tender area.
Most musculoskeletal ultrasound examinations are usually completed within 15 to 30 minutes, although this can vary.
No. Diagnostic ultrasound does not use radiation, which is one of the reasons it is commonly used for soft-tissue assessment.
Usually yes. After a diagnostic ultrasound scan, most patients can resume normal activities immediately.
It can help assess muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, bursae, nerves and soft tissues. It is often used alongside clinical assessment.
Yes. Ultrasound cannot see through bone and deeper structures may be harder to assess. MRI, X-ray or referral may still be needed in some cases.
Your clinician will interpret the scan alongside your assessment and explain what the findings mean for your treatment plan.
Call the clinic and the team can guide you towards the most suitable appointment.
Ready to book a diagnostic ultrasound assessment?
Book online or call the clinic if you are unsure which appointment is right for you.