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Knee pain is a very common symptom that people seek medical help with. In order to correctly determine the pathology developing in the knee and make a correct diagnosis, ultrasound of the knee joint is prescribed. Ultrasound examination is considered the most painless and safe diagnostic method. Currently, it is widely distributed due to its availability and high informativeness.
In what cases is it recommended to undergo an ultrasound examination.
The knee joint is exposed to the greatest load compared to other bone joints. Over time, knee joints wear out and become vulnerable to injuries and infections. If their deformation is detected in advance, the treatment will last faster and more effectively.
Currently, ultrasound of the knee joint in the clinic gives a complete picture of the state of all its components (bones, cartilage, meniscus, ligaments, blood vessels). Indications for its implementation may be patients' complaints of pain, limitation of movement, changes in the structure of the joint. With the help of ultrasound diagnostics, it is possible to comprehensively examine all soft and hard tissues, and explain the cause of complaints. Thanks to this method, it is possible to diagnose hematomas, ruptures, tumors and other degenerative changes.
Reasons for the doctor to order an ultrasound of the knee joint can be:
• Suspicion of damage to the meniscus and ligaments
• Suspicion of a fracture
• Inflammatory process
• Redness and swelling
• Accumulation of fluid in the joint
• Restriction in movement
• Existence of destiny syndrome
• It can be done after the injury to determine the nature of the damage.
The data obtained after the procedure make it possible to identify diseases at an early stage even if the symptoms do not manifest themselves clearly yet. And this, in turn, allows timely prevention of complicated diseases.
Procedure procedure
Ultrasound of the knee joint is a diagnostic procedure that is carried out with the help of high-frequency linear sensors. A special wave-conducting gel is applied to the knee area, after which the doctor moves the sensor to the required area. All dimensions, structures and other important data are displayed on the monitor. To visualize the entire organ, ultrasound of the knee joint is performed in 4 directions:
1. Front access. The tendon of the 4-head muscle of the thigh, the patella, the prepatellar sac and the condition of the patellar ligaments are shown.
2. Rear access. The rear part of the meniscus (internal and external), the medial and external head of the calf muscle, and the tendon of the semimembranous muscle are displayed on the monitor.
3. Lateral access. In this case, the body of the internal meniscus, the condition of the internal lateral ligaments of the joint, and the lateral part of the joint are visualized.
4. Media access. The screen shows the condition of the external collateral ligaments, the body of the external meniscus, the tendon of the biceps femoris, and the medial part of the space.
Special preparation is not required before doing an ultrasound of the knee joint. For a more accurate assessment of the joint, diagnostics is carried out both on a healthy knee and on a sick knee, and the indicators are compared with each other. Due to the fact that this joint has a complex structure, in order to be able to cover the entire area, the diagnosis is carried out in different positions of the patient. The front and side parts of the joint are examined in the supine position. To look at the back, the patient lies on his stomach. To check the condition of the meniscus and the presence of fluid in the prepatellar bag, it will be necessary for the patient to stand up, or it is possible to bend the leg at the knee.
What ultrasound diagnostics reveals
After the examination procedure is completed, the specialist arranges a protocol in which all the parameters of the joint elements are specified. Deciphering the protocol should be carried out only by a highly qualified doctor and, in particular, diagnose and prescribe treatment based on it.
Without certain knowledge, it is impossible to determine the deviation of indicators from the norm.
The norm of ultrasound of the knee joint
Norma ultrasound indicators
Joint surfaces of bones and patella Smooth clear contours
Presence of bone growths (osteophytes) Absent
The condition of the ligaments is intact, without deformation
The structure of the liquid is homogeneous
The thickness of hyaline cartilage is around 2,2-3 mm. The surface is smooth, evenly distributed.
The snovial membrane on the surface of the joint capsule is not visible
The presence of Becker's cyst does not show
Presence of foreign bodies Absent
Synovial sacs Fluid in synovial sacs should be absent
The tissues of each organ also have their own echogenicity, which is the ability to reflect an ultrasound signal back to the sensor. Each tissue differs in its echogenicity. The organ has 5 stages of echogenicity. The very first anechoic one is when the waves are not displayed at all, only black spots are visible on the monitor. The latter - hyperechoic - tissue reflects ultrasonic waves as much as possible and white spots are visualized on the monitor. Deviation of echogenicity indicators from the norm indicates a violation of the density of the organ, which may be the cause of its pathology.
In order to correctly decide on a place where it is possible to perform a high-quality ultrasound examination, you need to pay attention to large medical facilities. They are mainly staffed by competent, highly qualified specialists who carry out diagnostics on modern high-precision equipment.
