The advantages of musculoskeletal ultrasound: zooming in on making left/right comparisons

Some advantages of musculoskeletal ultrasound imaging over other medical imaging techniques are: 1) being more patient friendly; 2) absence of harmful radiation; 3) more ecofriendly; 4) less costs; 5) portability of systems;
6) ability to assess real time; 7) ability to assess functional; 8) the accuracy in extra-articular soft tissues scanning is equal to MRI; and 9) the ability to make left/right comparisons.

Zooming in on left/right comparisons: we feel that this is an underestimated advantage. Making left/right comparisons, especially when scanning patients younger than 50 years old, is useful in all stages of the sonographers learning curve. It will help in building a good “internal reference library”: what’s normal and what’s pathology? It will help when in doubt, gives information about severity, and assists in the determination of clinical relevancy.
Most importantly:  informing the patient > the patient sees the difference between affected and non-affected side. Experience shows that patients understand their complaint much better, show more motivation following up doctors’ or therapist’s advice, when seeing the difference.

Interested in learning musculoskeletal ultrasound?
Visit our foundational course near you: http://bit.ly/2IT1M39 
In this course you learn upper and lower extremity scanning.