In skilled hands, ultrasound is a very useful imaging tool for the assessment of joint conditions. Ultrasound of the musculoskeletal system (MSK) provides information about the muscles, ligaments, joints, tendons and soft tissue in the body. 

An ultrasound scan will aid in the diagnosis of tendon damage, including tendon tears such as the rotator cuff in the shoulder and Achilles tendon in the ankle, bleeding or other fluid collections within the muscles or damage to the joints in common problems such as arthritis, tendonitis, bursitis etc. 

Ultrasound has many advantages over other imaging modalities such as MRI as the operator can dynamically assess the joint whilst performing the scan. 

Ultrasound is also more cost effective than MRI, completely safe, quicker to perform and has no contraindications, such as claustrophobia. Your ultrasound scan will be performed by one of our knowledgeable Clinical Specialist Radiographers, who has completed additional training in the field of MSK ultrasound, so you can be assured that there is no compromise on the diagnostic accuracy of your ultrasound scan. 

The images will be reviewed by our Consultant Radiologist, who has a special interest in MSK imaging and the report sent to your referring Clinician within 24 hours. 

The examination usually lasts 20 to 30 minutes. Cost: €150

Shoulder Scan 

A shoulder ultrasound is an examination that uses ultrasound primarily to assess the rotator cuff and its surrounding soft tissues. The rotator cuff consists of a group of muscles and tendons which act to stabilise the shoulder joint.

It is the most commonly requested Musculoskeletal ultrasound test and provides a dynamic assessment of the shoulder. The main indication is shoulder pain. Ultrasound can be used to diagnose tendon tears, inflammation (tendinopathy), calcification, impingement and inflammation of the overlying bursa (bursitis). Structures examined during the ultrasound include: 

  • Infraspinatus tendon 

  • Coracoacromial Ligament 

  • Acromioclavicular joint 

  • Biceps tendon and sheath 

  • Subscapularis tendon 

  • Supraspinatus tendon 

  • Subdeltoid bursa 

No preparation is necessary for the examination. 

What happens during a shoulder ultrasound? 

You are usually sitting upright for the examination. You will be asked to expose the affected and unaffected shoulder. Ultrasound gel is placed on the shoulder and the entire shoulder is scanned with an ultrasound probe. You will be asked to move your arm into certain positions during the scan. Sometimes your other shoulder is scanned for comparison. Multiple images of these structures are taken by the Radiographer and are then analysed by a Consultant Radiologist. The results of the scan will be sent to the patient’s referring doctor within 24 hours of the examination being carried out. 

The examination lasts 20-30 minutes. 

Cost: €150

Elbow Scan 

Ultrasound scans are commonly used to investigate the causes of elbow pain. Elbow pain is usually caused by overuse syndromes, trauma, inflammatory diseases, or neuropathies.

Any activity that involves excessive flexion-extension movements of the elbow can result in excess strain on the ligaments, tendons, and muscles that stabilise the joint. Tennis Elbow and Golfer’s Elbow are examples of common overuse injuries. Nerve entrapment such as radial tunnel syndrome, carpal tunnel or median nerve entrapment neuropathy and cubital tunnel or ulnar nerve entrapment neuropathy can also be assessed. 

Main indications for an Elbow ultrasound include pain, reduced movement, inflammation, nerve pain (entrapement).

Structures examined during the elbow ultrasound: 

  • Common Flexor Tendon 

  • Ulna nerve 

  • Ulna Collateral Ligament 

  • Triceps tendon 

  • Olecranon Bursa 

  • Olecranon Fossa 

  • Common Extensor tendon. 

  • Radial collateral ligament 

  • Radial Nerve (Posterior Inter osseous nerve - 'PIN') 

  • Annular ligament 

  • Elbow joint 

  • Biceps tendon 

  • Median Nerve 

No preparation is necessary for this ultrasound scan. 

What happens during an elbow ultrasound? 

The elbow joint is examined while the patient is seated with his/her arm resting on the examination table. Gel will be placed on your elbow and ultrasound transducer will move over the area, imaging the underlying anatomy. You will be asked to move your arm to examine the joint in both flexion and extension. 

Cost €150

Wrist/Hand Scan

Ultrasound is a useful imaging tool for evaluation of the wrist and the hand, allowing detailed imaging of anatomy while simultaneously allowing dynamic evaluation of the joints, tendons, and ligaments. 

Ultrasound of the wrist evaluates the following: 

  • Triangular fibrocartilage complex 

  • The six extensor compartments 

  • Abnormal fluid or inflammation around the wrist 

  • Carpal tunnel Ulnar nerve 

  • Distal radio ulnar joint 

  • Mid carpal joints 

Main indications for an ultrasound of the wrist 

  • Tendon tears 

  • Scapholunate ligament injury 

  • TFCC injury 

  • Avulsion injuries 

  • Aneurysm/pseudoaneurysm 

  • Neuromas 

  • Pain or Reduced Movement 

  • Inflammation of the Wrist 

  • De Quervain tenosynovitis Intersection syndrome 

  • Carpal tunnel syndrome 

  • Ganglion cysts 

  • Tendinosis 

Ultrasound of the hand evaluates: 

  • Pulleys 

  • Palmar fascia 

  • Ulnar collateral ligament 

  • Finger Flexor 

  • Tendons 

  • Tendon sheath 

Main indication for ultrasound of the hand include: 

  • Foreign bodies

  • Joint effusions

  • Soft tissue masses such as lipomas

  • Classification of a mass e.g. solid, cystic, mixed 

  • Some bony pathology

  • Pain or Reduced Movement 

  • Osteo or rheumatoid arthritis 

  • Inflammation 

  • Ganglion Cyst 

  • Muscular, tendinous and ligamentous damage 

No preparation is necessary for this scan. 

What will happen during an ultrasound of the hand or wrist? 

You will be asked to sit on a chair and rest your arm on a pillow. A small amount of gel will be placed on your hand and the ultrasound probe will be moved in different directions. You may also be asked to move your hand during the scan so that the Radiographer can look at the affected area while it is in motion. 

Your images will be reviewed by our Consultant Radiologist and a report will be issued to your referring Clinician within 24 hours 

Cost: €150

Hip Scan 

Hip and groin pain are very common and ultrasound is a useful tool in the evaluation of the hip tendons, ligaments, muscles, nerves, synovial recesses, articular cartilage and bony surfaces.

For patients with sports-related hip pain, ultrasound has an important role in dynamic assessment of snapping iliopsoas tendon, joint fluid, bursitis, haematomas and paralabral cysts. 

Main indications for a hip ultrasound include 

  • Pain 

  • Muscular and some ligament damage 

  • Bursitis 

  • Joint effusion 

  • Vascular pathology 

  • Haematomas 

  • Soft tissue masses such as ganglia, lipomas 

  • Some bony pathology

Structures evaluated during ultrasound of the hip include 

  • Bone structures (femoral head and acetabulum) 

  • Fibrocartilaginous structures (acetabular labrum) 

  • Cartilage layers covering the hip joint 

  • Synovial joint 

  • Muscles and tendons 

  • Synovial bursae 

  • Neurovascular structures 

No preparation is necessary for this ultrasound scan. 

What happens during a hip ultrasound? 

You will be asked to lie on the bed and remove your clothing. A small amount of gel will be placed on your hip and the probe will be moved in different directions. You may also be asked to move your hip during the scan so that the Radiographer can look at the affected area while it is in motion. 

Our Consultant Radiologist will review your images and a report will be issued to your referring Clinician within 48 hours.

Cost €150

Knee Scan

Knee pain is common as the knee is prone to wear and tear due to its weight-bearing nature.

Ultrasound can provide clinically useful information on a wide range of pathological conditions affecting components of the knee joint, including the tendons, ligaments, muscles, synovial space, articular cartilage, and surrounding soft tissues. 

Structures examined during the ultrasound include 

  • Biceps femoris 

  • Medial collateral ligament 

  • Lateral collateral ligament 

  • Quadriceps tendon 

  • Patellar tendon 

  • Bursa 

Main indications for a knee ultrasound include: 

  • Infrapatellar bursitis 

  • A popliteal cyst (Baker cyst) 

  • Fractured kneecap 

  • Torn meniscus 

  • Torn ligaments 

  • Torn hamstring muscle 

  • Gout (a form of arthritis) 

  • Pain 

  • Reduced Movement 

  • Inflammation 

  • Patellar tendinosis 

  • Patellar tendon tear 

  • Quadriceps tendon tear 

  • Prepatellar bursitis 

No preparation is necessary for this knee ultrasound scan

What happens during a knee ultrasound? 

You will be asked to expose your knee and lie on the bed. A small amount of gel will be placed on your knee and the ultrasound probe will be moved in different directions. You may also be asked to move your knee during the scan so that the Radiographer can look at the affected area while it is in motion. 

Your images will be reviewed by our Consultant Radiologist and results will be available within 24 hours.

Cost: €150 

Ankle/Foot Scan 

Ultrasound is a very useful diagnostic tool for the diagnosis of a wide array of foot and ankle problems such as tendinosis, tenosynovitis, rupture or dislocation of ligaments that are commonly torn such as the Achilles tendon, plantar fasciitis (pain on the sole of the foot) and Morton's neuroma. 

Structures examined during the ultrasound include:

  • Tendons 

  • Tendons Sheaths 

  • Anterior joint space 

  • Retrocalcaneal bursa 

  • Ligaments 

Main indications for an ankle/foot ultrasound include:

  • Plantar Fasciitis 

  • Plantar Fibroma (lumps on the sole of the foot) 

  • Morton's Neuroma 

  • Foreign bodies 

  • Soft tissue masses such as ganglia, lipomas 

  • Heel spurs 

  • Tarsal tunnel syndrome 

  • Pain/Reduced Movement 

  • Inflammation 

  • Suspected Tears (e.g. Achilles tendon) 

  • Tendinopathy 

  • Bursitis or capsulitis of the joints 

  • Ligament injuries 

  • Effusion 

  • Ganglion cysts 

No preparation is necessary for this scan.

What happens during an ankle/foot ultrasound? 

You will be asked to remove your shoe and sock and lie on the bed. A small amount of gel will be placed on your ankle and the probe will be moved in different directions. You may also be asked to move your ankle during the scan so that the Radiographer can look at the affected area while it is in motion. 

Your images will be reviewed by our Consultant Radiologist and results will be available within 48hours.

Cost: €150