What will an ultrasound of the knee show? Now we will understand this issue. But first, we will briefly talk about the procedure itself.
Ultrasound is a well-known research method. It allows you to diagnose any organs of the human body. This is an absolutely painless way to detect various diseases. This method is widely used in medicine, as it is very simple and does not require complicated preparation before carrying out. However, for the diagnosis of ultrasound is considered a very informative way.
The essence of the study is that ultrasonic waves propagate throughout the body and, when displayed, make it possible to see a picture of what is happening inside the process.
What can be seen on ultrasound?
What will an ultrasound of a person’s knee show? The structure of the knee joint is quite complex. In addition, he is entrusted with significant loads to which he is exposed daily.
These include walking, running, climbing stairs, descending stairs, squats and others. In connection with the daily load, this body undergoes wear and can fail. If abnormalities in the work of the knee joint are detected at an early stage, then the treatment will be simpler and faster.
What will an ultrasound of the knee show?
- Joint bones.
- Cartilage.
- Ligaments.
- Muscles of the joint.
- Vessels.
- Synovial fluid of the joint.
What diagnoses can be made based on the results of the study?
Depending on what the ultrasound shows, the doctor can diagnose diseases such as:
- Osteoarthrosis.
- Arthrosis of the knee.
- Arthritis, synovitis, tendonitis.
- Meniscus-related disease.
- Various damage to the ligaments, for example, sprain.
- Fracture, both open and closed.
- Congenital disorders of the knee.
- Various neoplasms.
Using dopplerography, you can see disorders associated with the bloodstream and vessels of the joint.
Who is assigned the study?
Who can be prescribed an ultrasound of the knee? What does this study show in a child? Ultrasound of the knee joint has no age restrictions for any contraindications. Therefore, this examination can be assigned to both older people and small children.
There are several main directions for the appointment of ultrasound of the knee joint. Firstly, people undergo this procedure in order to diagnose any diseases of the knee joint. Secondly, this method of research is often used to examine the condition of the body of athletes. This must be done in order to find out the professional suitability of a person before competitions or to see the state of his body during heavy physical exertion.
There is a category of athletes who fall into the risk zone of injuries to the knee joint, namely: skiers, gymnasts, skaters, skaters and others. Ultrasound examination of the knee joint is especially recommended for children who practice these sports. Ultrasound will show whether you need to continue to play sports professionally or not.
What will the ultrasound of the knee show and what violations in its functioning can be identified through this study? When a person comes to this examination, he has a referral from his attending physician. It already contains the presumptive diagnosis of the patient.
It is also recommended to take the results of other examinations for ultrasound, if they were passed by the patient. Depending on the direction prescribed to the person, such an examination will be done by ultrasound. Here we are talking about a complete ultrasound examination of the patella, or part of it.
What does the diagnosis show?
What pathologies can be detected by ultrasound of the knee joint? What does this study show?
- What contours does the joint have: smooth or not.
- What appearance does the bone have? Namely: homogeneous, uniform, thickened or oozing.
- Is the synovial fluid normal? It can have different conditions, such as a decrease in its number or an increase. Also, this fluid in the subject may be normal.
- The condition of the synovial joint fluid is studied by ultrasound of the knee joint. What does it show? It can be with threads or flakes, homogeneous or heterogeneous. Also, this fluid can be without any inclusions.
- The state of cartilage tissue is examined. Namely: its contours, refinement and thickness.
- Ultrasound can determine the condition of the joint space. It can be narrowed, expanded, or in normal condition.
- Free bodies are present or not in the knee joint.
- A meniscus study is ongoing.
Also, through ultrasound, you can see:
- What condition is the patella.
- Whether bursitis or lunge is present.
- In what condition are the ligaments and tendons of the knee joint, as well as the muscles.
- Is there a Becker cyst.
- The presence of any growths or other changes associated with the femur and tibia.
Advantage and price of ultrasound in a district clinic
The advantage of ultrasound is that the patient can receive the result of the examination five minutes after the procedure. Based on the results of the ultrasound, the doctor who gave the direction to this procedure can confirm the preliminary diagnosis or refute it.
When a patient contacts a district clinic, an ultrasound examination is done free of charge in the direction of a doctor. But cases are not excluded when a person turns to a private medical institution for examination. This topic should be discussed separately.
Ultrasound of the knee joint. Why contact paid centers?
In a private clinic all services are provided for a fee. But it is worth saying that ultrasound does not belong to an expensive examination. The cost of its holding is quite affordable. Before the procedure, the patient does not need to prepare, there are no special recommendations.
The advantages of conducting an ultrasound of the knee joint in a paid point is that it is equipped with everything necessary. Namely: slippers or shoe covers, napkins and other items that may be needed during the ultrasound.
Price for the service in private clinics
There are special ultrasound centers. They are equipped with modern equipment, so they have created all the conditions for patient comfort and ultrasound of the knee joint.
Why choose a center with modern equipment? The pricing policy of medical institutions varies, depending on the region of the country. The cost of one ultrasound procedure is influenced by such factors as the quality of the equipment on which the study is conducted, the level of skill of specialists.
High-level doctors work on the latest devices, which allow a more detailed examination of the internal organs of a person. The average price for ultrasound of the knee is from 600 to 1500 rubles.
The difference in equipment plays a significant role in the diagnosis of pathologies of the knee joint. Modern equipment allows you to see a three-dimensional color image and diagnose pathological processes at an early stage. This fact is considered very important, because the sooner a diagnosis is made, the better.
Conclusion
Now you know what an ultrasound of the knee joint is, we have indicated the indications for it. We hope that the information in the article was useful to you.