Muscle ultrasound – when to perform and what does the examination look like?

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A car accident, an injury during training or a contusion while doing housework – all these situations can result in muscle damage, tearing or stretching. In this case, the key is proper diagnostics, which is possible, among others, thanks to the ultrasound of the muscles. What is this examination about?

The role of muscles in the human body

It is estimated that in the body of a healthy person there are 450-500 different types of muscles, which constitute up to 40 percent. body weight. Various types of muscles are responsible for various body functions.

Skeletal muscles, transversely striated are responsible for maintaining the vertical posture of the body and allow the limbs to move. Striated muscles are located in the urethra and the anus, which means that they are responsible for suppressing physiological needs. It is the skeletal muscles that are most often injured and bruised, a ultrasound examination allows you to assess their condition and the extent of the injury.

What is an ultrasound examination?

Ultrasound is an imaging method of examination that thanks the use of ultrasonic waves allows you to visualize the tissues and structures located under the surface of the skin, in the depths of our body. They get there thanks to a special head, which is part of the ultrasound scanner, i.e. a device for conducting ultrasound. The second part of it is a screen on which images of the inside of our body appear.

When ultrasonic waves they get under our skin, they hit the tissues below its surface. They start to bounce off them to hit the ultrasound head again. Then, transformed into an image, they go to the monitor screen in real time. This means that there is no need for additional time to process the information – the moment the head touches the skin, the correct image appears on the monitor immediately.

The image consists of regular spots of various shades of gray. This is because the tissues in the human body have different structures, density and hardness. For this reason, the waves reaching them reflect in different ways, which results in the appearance of images with different depths of gray.

Indications for muscle ultrasound

In most cases, muscle ultrasound is performed in situations where the muscle stops working properly, e.g. it makes it impossible to straighten or bend a limb or when its work is inextricably linked with pain. The cause of this condition can be both defects in muscle structurebut also his muscle malfunction.

Other indications for performing an ultrasound of muscles include:

1. diagnosis of post-traumatic changes, their size and type;
2. inflammation of the muscle;
3. muscle damage as a result of an accident;
4. assessment of the extent of hematomas;
5. control of the repair processes of the damaged muscle;
6. strain;
7. tendon rupture;
8. muscle contusion;
9. muscle swelling;
10. suspicion of hematoma pressure on the nerves;
11. the presence of foreign bodies in the muscles;
12. the presence of bumps and cysts visible to the naked eye.

If the doctor finds a change in the form of a tumor or cyst, we will certainly be referred for further diagnostic tests. Often they are also moved fine needle biopsywhich is performed simultaneously with the ultrasound examination.

Contraindications to performing an ultrasound of muscles

There are practically no contraindications that would make it impossible to perform an ultrasound examination of the muscles. This is due to the safety, non-invasiveness and lack of influence on the functioning of the examined areas and the entire organism. However, it should be remembered that the ultrasound of the muscles, especially in the case of a mechanical one muscle tissue damage, should not be performed through skin with open wounds and burns.

Preparation for muscle ultrasound examination

Muscle ultrasound examination does not require any special preparation from the patient. It is not necessary to fast or to refrain from taking medications. However, it is worth wearing comfortable clothes that you can easily take off or roll up so that the doctor can carry out the examination. Earlier ultrasound results of muscles should also be taken for the examination, if they were performed by us.

Muscle ultrasound – the course of the examination

Performing a muscle ultrasound examines not only the muscle itself, but also the tendons and surrounding structures. In addition to muscles, the examinations include tendons with attachments, as well as muscle abdomens, tendon and muscle sheaths, and their bursae.

The first stage of muscle ultrasound is an interview with the patient by the doctor about his ailments, illnesses and medications. Then the patient, depending on the location of the examined muscle, will be asked to lie down or sit down on a couch.

Then, the doctor will apply a special gel on the examined area, used in ultrasound, which will improve the penetration of ultrasound waves into the body and improve the sliding of the head on the patient’s skin. By moving the head and arranging it at the right angles, the doctor will be able to see the inside of the muscle on the screen.

The examination should be completely painless for the patient. However, if you experience any discomfort or pain while doing it, tell the person doing it. Ultrasound examination is also completely safe – unlike X-ray examination, it does not use harmful substances in large amounts x-ray radiation.

After completing the examination, the patient will receive photos taken during the examination, on paper or on a CD. They will be accompanied by a description that will assist the attending physician in making the correct diagnosis.

Muscle ultrasound examination belongs to the group of reimbursed examinations. However, if we want it to be financed from the NFZ money pool, we must prepare for several weeks of waiting for its implementation. Since muscle ultrasound is often performed after accidents and injuries, a delay of several weeks may result in complications. That is why many patients decide to have an ultrasound scan of their muscles in a private office or clinic. Its cost is about PLN 150.

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