Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Clinic
What is Musculoskeletal Ultrasound?
Musculoskeletal (MSK) ultrasound is a powerful and painless tool used by radiologists to provide real-time images of muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves, and cartilage throughout the body.
MSK ultrasound is particularly helpful in the diagnosis of orthopedic and sports injuries such as rotator cuff tears, and chronic conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis. Sometimes, pain or injury is triggered by movement, which cannot be captured in a static image. Ultrasound is performed in real time and can provide information that cannot be detected by any other imaging method. It has the added advantage of being radiation-free.
Our highly trained musculoskeletal sonographers perform the exams in a comfortable setting, using your feedback to help pinpoint the problem area. MSK ultrasound has become an invaluable tool in Rheumatology by assisting rheumatologist in the diagnosis of several rheumatologic conditions and by making the procedures more accurate, and less painful.
Our Services
MSK ultrasound is used to diagnose a wide range of injuries and chronic conditions, including muscle tears, tendonitis, bursitis, joint problems, rheumatoid arthritis, and masses such as tumors or cysts. In this clinic, we provide image-guided therapeutic injections for tendonitis, arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome and image-guided aspiration of joints, cysts, and bursal sacs. Our expert rheumatologists will discuss your medical history and symptoms to determine if an ultrasound guided procedure is necessary.
The Columbia Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Clinic is led by Dr. Maria Salgado, an expert rheumatologist with formal training in musculoskeletal ultrasound through the Ultrasound of North American Rheumatologist (USSONAR) and serves as a faculty mentor for training musculoskeletal ultrasound to rheumatology fellows at NY-Presbyterian-Columbia University Irving Medical Center. She is also board certified in Musculoskeletal Ultrasound in Rheumatology (RhMSUS), skills she incorporates into her daily clinical practice.
How do I prepare for the exam?
On the day of the exam, wear comfortable clothes. You may be asked to change into a gown when you arrive at the ultrasound exam site. No special preparation is needed.
What will happen during the exam?
During a MSK ultrasound, the sonographer may ask you to sit on the exam table, on a swivel chair, or lie face up or face down. We will apply a small amount of warm gel to the area being examined. The sonographer will then glide the ultrasound transducer (wand) over your skin to capture images of the tissues below, which are then sent to a computer.
During the exam, we may ask you to move the joint or limb being examined in order to evaluate the function of the joint, muscle, ligament, or tendon.
An ultrasound exam is typically painless, and takes between 20 and 30 minutes to complete.
Are there any risks?
Ultrasound does not require the use of ionizing radiation, special dyes, or anesthesia and has no known risks or side effects.
After the exam
After the exam you can immediately resume your normal activities. A radiologist will analyze the ultrasound images and share the results with your doctor. Your doctor will then discuss the results with you.
Our Team
Make An Appointment
ColumbiaDoctors Rheumatology & Clinical Immunology is a leader in the care and treatment of rheumatic disease, offering the latest therapies for patients of all ages. Many of our treatment services are also offered through participation in research studies.
To make an appointment or referral with a member of our MSK Ultrasound Care team, please call 212-305-4308 and our office will schedule your appointment.
Connect Patient Portal
Current patients can count on secure messaging, the use of our online bill payment feature, and 24/7/365 access to their healthcare information through the Connect online portal.
Signing up for Connect is easy. Ask about joining Connect at your next visit. If you already have an invitation and activation code, visit our sign-up page. If you do not have an activation code, visit our self-sign-up page and follow the directions.
Connect is a joint effort of Columbia, NewYork-Presbyterian, and Weill Cornell Medicine, so a single Connect account links you to all three institutions.