Diagnostic Ultrasound
What is a Diagnostic Ultrasound Scan ?
Diagnostic musculoskeletal (MSK) ultrasound uses high-frequency sound waves to produce real-time images of muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints and other soft tissues. It is a highly effective, non-invasive assessment that uses sound waves to create live, real-time images without any radiation, in order to identify and assess a range of musculoskeletal conditions and injuries.
What Ultrasound Detects & Ruling Out Pathologies ?
Ultrasound is incredibly useful for ruling out or confirming specific soft-tissue pathologies. It helps clinicians see exactly what is happening under the skin, measure the extent of damage, and determine whether a problem requires surgery, injections, or physiotherapy.
A diagnostic musculoskeletal (MSK) ultrasound can pinpoint:
-
Tendon tears (whether partial or complete)
-
Inflammation and fluid buildup (such as bursitis or tenosynovitis)
-
Tissue degeneration (like chronic tendinopathy)
-
Dynamic movement issues (like a tendon catching or snapping during movement)
Common Injuries Diagnosed by Ultrasound:
-
Achilles Tendon Tears or Tendinopathy: Scans show if the thick tendon at the back of the heel is swollen, frayed, or entirely ruptured.
-
Rotator Cuff Tears: Ultrasound is highly accurate at detecting tears in the shoulder tendons, which cause severe pain when lifting the arm.
-
Tennis or Golfer’s Elbow: Detects micro-tears and chronic inflammation in the forearm tendons where they attach to the elbow bone.
-
Plantar Fasciitis: Shows thickening and inflammation of the thick band of tissue under the foot.
-
Bursitis: Identifies inflammation in the fluid-filled sacs that cushion joints, very common in the shoulder, hip, or knee.
Can a Private Scan "Bump" You up the NHS List ?
The short answer is no, getting a private scan will not automatically jump you ahead of others in the NHS treatment queue. According to official guidance from the NHS Wait Helper, a private diagnostic test speeds up the diagnosis phase of your journey, but it does not buy a faster spot for NHS treatment.
However, there is a nuance regarding clinical prioritisation:
Changing Clinical Risk: The NHS prioritises patients purely based on clinical urgency. If you take your scan report back to your NHS GP and it reveals a far more severe injury than originally suspected (e.g., a complete tendon rupture that requires urgent surgical repair rather than standard physiotherapy), your GP can present this evidence to request that the hospital expedite your consultant appointment.
What can we Scan ?
Our MSK ultrasound service can be used to assess a variety of areas, including muscles, tendons, ligaments and superficial joints. Ultrasound can be particularly useful when investigating suspected soft-tissue injuries, tendon problems, muscle strains, inflammation, fluid collections and other musculoskeletal abnormalities.
What happens during the appointment ?
Your appointment will last approximately 45 minutes. The clinician will first discuss your symptoms and relevant medical history before carrying out a clinical assessment. An ultrasound examination will then be performed on the relevant area using real-time imaging.
Important Information & Limitations
Age requirement:
Our diagnostic ultrasound service is available to patients aged 18 years and over only.
Areas we cannot scan:
Ultrasound is not appropriate for assessing every area of the body. The spine is not suitable for diagnostic ultrasound scanning, so spinal conditions cannot be assessed using this service.
Non-musculoskeletal scans:
This service is specifically for musculoskeletal diagnostic ultrasound. We do not provide pregnancy scans or other non-musculoskeletal ultrasound examinations.
Please Note
Ultrasound is a diagnostic tool and may not be appropriate for every condition. Your clinician will determine whether an ultrasound scan is suitable based on your symptoms and clinical assessment. Imaging will be stored and full detailed reports will be available within 48 hours. Where necessary, you may be advised to seek further investigation or referral for alternative imaging, such as an MRI or X-ray.
Pricing
The cost of a diagnostic MSK ultrasound scan is £130 per appointment.
Duration-45 minutes
For more information and booking:
Call Jamie on 07443 335502
Or email : the-recovery-hub@outlook
