Ultrasound

The hardware improvements in the last 20 years have impressively increased the capabilities of ultrasound in the assessment of the musculoskeletal system. Ultrasound is now considered in many clinical situations as the first-line imaging technique to evaluate limb disorders because of its high definition and dynamic capabilities. In addition, ultrasound is a low-cost, patient-friendly, and readily available technique. Ultrasound is less performant than magnetic resonance imaging in the evaluation of most intra-articular knee structures. However, it allows assessment of several disorders affecting tendons, vessels, and nerves, as well as other periarticular structures. This chapter describes the standard technique of ultrasound examination of knee, the normal ultrasound anatomy, as well as selected ultrasound pathologic images.