Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Center of Ioannina

Ultrasonography was introduced into the diagnosis of musculoskeletal disorders in 1970. It is used for the imaging of muscles, tendons, ligaments and bone (in some cases). Ultrasonography is a non-invasive and cost-effective method. It does not expose the patient to radiation while it can be used in cases where other imaging methods (i.e. MRI, CT) are inadequate or not indicated at all. Furthermore, ultrasononography enables us to evaluate the musculoskeletal structures both statically and dynamically.

Specifically, ultrasonography is widely used in the assessment of disorders of the shoulder. It has been estimated that concerningthe detection of rotator cuff tears the sensitivity of the method is 67-100% while the specificity is 85-100%. Furthermore, ultrasonography is used in the diagnosis of Achilles tendon and patellar tendon disorders. In the knee joint, ultrasonography is used for the assessment and monitoring of the pathology of ligaments and tendons, Baker's cyst, bursal and joint effusions and synovitis. Moreover, it may have a role in the diagnosis of meniscal injury and acute anterior cruciate ligament rupture. Lastly, ultrasonography is widely used for the diagnosis and monitoring of muscle injuries.

In our lab ultrasonography is conducted with the Α U 3 ( Esaote Biomedica ) device.