Orthopedic Ultrasound in Atlanta

Point-of-Care Ultrasound & Ultrasound-Guided Joint Injections

Sometimes the exam and X-rays answer the question. Sometimes an MRI is the right next step. And sometimes it helps to have another set of eyes right in the room. Point-of-care ultrasound gives your orthopedic physician a real-time view when it can meaningfully improve the evaluation or help guide an injection.

Real-Time In-Room Imaging Hip • Knee • Shoulder Image-Guided Injections Small-Joint Guidance When Needed

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Atlanta Bone & Joint Specialists • Decatur • Snellville • Loganville

Immediate Selected imaging can be performed during the visit

Dynamic The physician can evaluate some structures while they move

Precise Real-time needle visualization when guidance adds value

Point-of-Care Ultrasound

Another Set of Eyes, Right in the Exam Room

Musculoskeletal ultrasound is not the perfect answer for every orthopedic diagnosis. That is exactly why we like having it available. It is another tool the physician can use when a focused, real-time look can add useful information without automatically sending every patient for another test.

Ultrasound can be particularly useful for selected problems involving tendons, bursae, fluid collections, superficial soft tissues and certain joints. Because the image is live, the physician can sometimes examine a structure while the patient moves the shoulder, knee, hip or other body part.

It can also be used to guide selected injections and aspirations. Instead of relying only on surface landmarks, the physician can see the needle and intended target on the screen in real time when image guidance is helpful.

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Available during the orthopedic visit For selected clinical questions, useful information may be obtained without scheduling a separate imaging appointment.

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Real-time and dynamic Some tendons, fluid collections and superficial structures can be viewed while the physician examines the joint.

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Useful for guided procedures When an injection target is deep, small or difficult to localize, ultrasound can provide live visualization of needle placement.

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Used selectively—not automatically Many orthopedic problems do not need ultrasound, and many injections can be performed accurately without it.

Ultrasound vs. MRI

Faster for Some Questions. Not a Replacement for MRI.

We do not view ultrasound and MRI as competing tests. They answer different questions. The goal is to use the simplest useful tool first—and move to more comprehensive imaging when the diagnosis requires it.

Point-of-Care Ultrasound

Focused, immediate and dynamic

Ultrasound can be performed during the visit and is particularly useful for selected tendons, bursae, fluid, superficial structures and image-guided procedures. It can sometimes answer a focused question immediately.

MRI

Broader and more comprehensive

MRI remains important when we need a deeper look at cartilage, labrum, bone, marrow, complex tendon injury, ligament injury or structures that ultrasound cannot fully evaluate.

When MRI is the right study, Atlanta Bone & Joint also offers orthopedic MRI.

Ultrasound-Guided Injections

More Visualization When Injection Guidance Is Needed

Many joint injections can be performed safely and accurately using anatomic landmarks. But not every target is equally easy to feel. For selected injections, ultrasound gives the physician a live view of the needle and the structure being treated.

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Deep joints Real-time imaging can be particularly useful when targeting a deeper joint such as the hip.

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Small or difficult targets Guidance may help when the intended joint, bursa or soft-tissue structure is small or difficult to localize from the surface.

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Aspirations and fluid Ultrasound can help identify selected fluid collections and guide aspiration when clinically appropriate.

Hip, Knee & Shoulder

Where Point-of-Care Ultrasound Can Be Useful

Ultrasound is used differently depending on the joint and the question being asked. These pages explain where it can fit into an orthopedic evaluation and when image guidance may be helpful.

Shoulder Selected rotator cuff, bursal and biceps problems, plus guided shoulder injections when appropriate. → Hip Real-time image guidance for selected deep hip-joint and surrounding soft-tissue injections. → Knee Selected knee injections, aspirations, fluid evaluation and other focused uses of office-based ultrasound. →

Patients seeking prompt evaluation for a painful joint can also visit our same-day cortisone shot and joint injection page. For knee arthritis, we also provide information about hyaluronic acid / gel injections.

Small Joints & Focused Procedures

Sometimes Precision Matters Most in a Small Space

Ultrasound guidance can also be useful for selected smaller joints and soft-tissue targets where the intended location is difficult to identify by touch alone. The decision to use ultrasound is based on the anatomy, diagnosis and procedure—not simply because the machine is available.

The same principle applies to diagnostic ultrasound. A focused office-based scan may answer a specific question quickly, while another problem may clearly require X-rays, MRI, CT or a different study.

Why not have an extra set of eyes when it helps?

Use ultrasound when it adds useful information. Use another test when another test is better.

Common Questions

Orthopedic Ultrasound & Guided Injection FAQs

Straight answers to common questions patients ask about point-of-care ultrasound, MRI and ultrasound-guided injections.

Can an orthopedic doctor perform ultrasound during my visit?

Yes. Point-of-care musculoskeletal ultrasound can be performed in the office for selected orthopedic questions when the physician believes it will add useful information to the examination.

Is orthopedic ultrasound quicker than getting an MRI?

For a focused question, it can be. Point-of-care ultrasound may be performed during the same orthopedic visit. MRI is more comprehensive for many conditions and may still be recommended when it is the better test.

Does ultrasound replace MRI for shoulder, hip or knee pain?

No. Ultrasound and MRI visualize different structures. Ultrasound is useful for selected real-time and superficial musculoskeletal questions, while MRI is often preferred for a broader evaluation of structures such as cartilage, labrum, bone, marrow, ligaments and complex soft-tissue injuries.

Are ultrasound-guided injections more accurate?

Ultrasound allows the physician to visualize the needle and intended target in real time and can improve placement accuracy for selected injections. Not every joint injection requires ultrasound guidance.

Do all cortisone shots need ultrasound guidance?

No. Many cortisone injections can be performed accurately using anatomic landmarks. Ultrasound is most useful when the target is deep, small, difficult to localize or when direct visualization is likely to improve the procedure.

Can ultrasound be used for hip, knee and shoulder injections?

Yes. Ultrasound can be used for selected injections involving the hip, knee and shoulder as well as certain smaller joints and soft-tissue structures.

Where does Atlanta Bone & Joint offer orthopedic care?

Atlanta Bone & Joint Specialists serves patients in Atlanta and surrounding communities through offices in Decatur, Snellville and Loganville, Georgia. Availability of a specific ultrasound examination or guided procedure may vary by physician and location.

See the Problem. Choose the Right Next Step.

Whether the answer is a focused ultrasound, an X-ray, an MRI, an injection or no procedure at all, the goal is the same: use the information that actually helps make the right orthopedic decision.

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