Musculoskeletal Ultrasound

摘要

As we prepare this Ultrasound Clinics issue on Musculoskeletai Ultrasound, the 2012 Olympic Games in London are running and the world is watching with enthusiasm and admiration. In the background, collectively, millions of hours of training are evident. Sports are a dangerous activity, leading in many cases to injuries of every kind. Not long ago there was no place for ultrasound in the diagnostic battery. Since then, the development of high-resolution multifrequency linear transducers together with the knowledge and skills of ultrasound operators have brought this modality into wide use, making it the first imaging choice for the diagnosis of musculoskeletal pathologies. In many respects, there is no competition with any other modality. The ability to produce images in real-time and during dynamic maneuvers demonstrates flow even at extremely low velocities and the exquisite spatial resolution, not achieved by any other imaging modality, has made ultrasound a unique tool for musculoskeletal diagnoses. Not to mention the low cost, lack of ionizing radiation, iodinated contrast media or gadolinium, wide availability, portability, patient comfort, and fastness.