Korean J Med.  2010 Jun;78(6):687-696.

Musculoskeletal ultrasound in rheumatology

• Kang TY

Abstract

As technological advances in ultrasound have led to high-resolution imaging of musculoskeletal structures, ultrasonography has become an integral part of diagnosis and management in rheumatology practice. Ultrasound has several advantages over clinical examination in the diagnosis and localization of rheumatic diseases, such as joint effusion, erosion, synovitis, tendon diseases, and enthesopathy. Moreover, ultrasound improves joint aspiration accuracy and both intra-articular and soft tissue injection technique. The Doppler evaluation provides useful clinical information regarding tissue vascularity and can be used to monitor joint and soft tissue disease activity and progression. This paper presents a review of the evidence in support of the application of musculoskeletal ultrasound in rheumatology.

Keyword

Musculoskeletal ultrasound; Rheumatology ultrasonography; Doppler; Synovitis; Tenosynovitis

MeSH Terms

Joints
Organothiophosphorus Compounds
Rheumatic Diseases
Rheumatology
Synovitis
Tendons
Tenosynovitis
Organothiophosphorus Compounds