Ultrasound Guided Injections Care

What You Need To Know

How diagnostic ultrasound helps our doctors deliver injections with precision.

Precision Care With Ultrasound Guidance

Diagnostic ultrasound is used today to provide doctors with the ability to see where an injection is going, ensuring that the medication is delivered directly to the exact spot of necessity. Rather than relying on external landmarks alone, our physicians can visualize the tissue in real time and place the needle with confidence.

We all realize that receiving an injection is sometimes necessary to treat specific injuries or conditions. Having the medication delivered directly to the exact location ensures that the medication can provide the best result. Having the ability to see where the injection is going provides a better outcome, and the doctor is able to precisely deliver the medication exactly where it must go.

Delivering the medication directly where it is needed avoids damaging surrounding tissue or placing the medication in areas where it will be less effective. This precision is particularly valuable when treating small or deep structures in the foot and ankle, where a millimeter can make the difference between relief and a treatment that falls short.

Ultrasound guidance is commonly used to visualize soft tissue structures such as tendons, ligaments, and muscle, and in some cases arteries and nerves. If your doctor has recommended an injection to help resolve a foot or ankle problem, an evaluation at our office will determine whether ultrasound guidance is appropriate for your situation.

The Technology Behind Ultrasound Guidance

Diagnostic ultrasound use was first reported in 1958 as a reliable method to evaluate musculoskeletal structures. Since that time, its use has become increasingly popular in the medical world. What began as a specialized imaging tool has grown into an everyday resource that helps physicians care for patients more effectively.

Today, physicians use ultrasound technology to clearly visualize soft tissue structures for pending treatment. The tissue that is most commonly viewed includes tendons, ligaments, and muscle. There are also instances where arteries and nerves are viewed, allowing the doctor to avoid these structures during an injection and further improve patient safety.

Ultrasound imaging is performed in the office without radiation, using a handheld probe placed on the skin over the treatment area. The image appears on a monitor next to the patient, and the doctor watches the needle enter the tissue and reach the intended target. This real-time view is what separates a guided injection from a traditional blind injection.

The doctors at the Weil Foot and Ankle Institute have available and frequently utilize diagnostic ultrasound in delivering treatment to our patients to ensure the safest, most effective, and comfortable treatment possible. If you would like to learn whether an ultrasound guided injection is right for your condition, our providers are ready to help.