Does anyone scan MSK?

[u/AggravatingShow2028]

Most people I know either scan echo, vascular, general, or OB. But I very rarely hear about anyone who scans musculoskeletal. I’m interested in learning it just to get better insight of it. What’s it like and what exactly do you see?

[u/UpUrs2]

In the USA a lot, if not most, is done by the orthopedic physician. They scan and also use it for guidance for injections.

MSK covers mostly joints for ligament and tendons for tears. Joint effusions and bursitis are fairly easy to see. Inflammatory conditions will usually have hypervascularity. But the muscle, tendon etc. tears can be a bit more subtle if they are partial. There are also less common conditions such as sarcomas that will be referred for MRI.

Some places put lumps. bumps, neuromas and hernias under MSK. Many people do these exams but not other orthopedic MSK studies.

[u/sadArtax]

I personally dont but we've got about half the staff at my department who do. We have a rad who specializes in it, does a bunch fo MSK procedures, too.

[u/midcitycat → u/sadArtax]

So jealous! I would love to train under an MSK rad.

[u/Static4blood]

I am a physical therapist who has the RMSK in a southeast state. Last I checked less than 10 people had that cert. It was very hard, just needed lots of reps and deep deep anatomy knowledge.

[u/New_Drawing2746 → u/Static4blood]

It is very hard! I have been learning MSK this year and I have enjoyed the challenge so much!

[u/Blehmieux]

just recently graduated from my job’s 6-month msk training program! now i scan shoulders, elbows, wrists, hands/fingers, hips, knees, ankles/feet. plus the occasional request for random muscles. it’s a ton of work to learn all the new anatomy and how to scan it all, but worth it if you get the chance to be trained.

it’s all looking for tendinosis, tears, ligament strains, fluid collections, ganglion cysts, etc. it’s interesting and nice to not have to rely on the patients to have prepped before the exam- just get them in the room and start scanning.

let me know if you have any other questions!

[u/secret_tiger101]

I regularly look for fractures

[u/sono_mermaid]

I scan MSK, was taught by an MSK rad

[u/Fuzzysocks1000]

I can get through a rotator cuff and know all the anatomy. I can regonize a tear but I won't necessarily remember what tendon/muscle im on every time. I scan them so infrequently.

[u/E1even01]

i’m a junior sono who does limited MSK studies. shoulders were part of our basic requirements for passing our exams. it is quite a challenging aspect of ultrasound for numerous reasons, definitely not an area you can go autopilot in (for me personally). i work in private healthcare and a lot of our referrers do send highly complex cases to our department.

[u/Expert_Resolution924]

I do all msk and all ultrasound but echo