“Sports Ultrasound”, advantages, indications and limitations in upper and lower limbs musculoskeletal disorders. Review article

Abstract

Ultrasonography (US) is a safe and noninvasive imaging modality that is gaining popularity in different medical and surgical fields. Its introduction in musculoskeletal and sports medicine has taken this advanced subspecialty to a higher level. It has the advantage over other imaging techniques with regards to ease of use, availability, comfort and cost. Not to mention, in terms of safety profile, patients are not exposed to radiations, like in x-rays, and it can be performed on patients with metal or pacemaker implants, which are contraindicated in MRI. Standard diagnostic sonography doesn't have any known harmful effects on humans. In this article we will discuss the role of ultrasound in sports medicine, highlighting the diagnostic and interventional indications, uses and limitations.

A Reliable, Ultrasound-Based Method for the Diagnosis of Discoid Lateral Meniscus

“…15,16 . However, the present study found that the ultrasound images of the lateral meniscus in the DLM group and the control group were all approximately inverted triangles, which maybe arise from the limitedly ultrasonic scanning on the depth of the knee joint space and incompletely display of DLM 7,18 .…”

“…Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the "gold standard" in imaging diagnosis of DLM with a clear diagnostic criterion and a high sensitivity (95%) and specificity (97%) 5 , but it has high costs and long examination times, and is contraindicated in patients with installed pacemakers, magnetic metal implanted, and claustrophobia 6,7 . Besides, MRI is difficult to perform in young children who may not remain motionless during the imaging study.…”

“…Compared with MRI, ultrasound has such advantages as low costs (only 20%-30% of MRI), short examination times, no contraindications, open examination environment and adjustable examination position that are especially suitable to young children and patients with compulsive position 7,8 . Moreover, ultrasound has portable equipment, enables real-time and dynamical assessment, and early detects pathological changes 7,8 .…”

“…Ultrasound is widely used in the diagnosis of meniscus lesion, ligament or tendon injury, etc 7,[10][11][12][13][14] . However, there is just a few, small sample, uncontrolled case study about the diagnosis ultrasound for DLM, merely on the children 15,16 .…”

“…And, the absence of normal triangular shape, abnormally elongated and thick meniscus, and presence of a heterogeneous central pattern on ultrasound images is the key to diagnose children DLM 15,16 . Nonetheless, the blocking effect of the femoral condyle on the ultrasound beam reduce the scanning range in the lateral knee joint space is reduced, thus the true morphology of DLM cannot be displayed 7,17,18 , which indicates that it is limited to diagnose DLM relying solely on the descriptively morphological difference between DLM and normal lateral meniscus (NLM) on the ultrasound image.…”