1Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Yeungnam University College of Medicine, Taegu, Korea. 2Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Henty Ford Hospital, Detroit, Michigan, USA. 3Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Montreal General Hospital, McGill University, Motreal, Quebec, Canada. 4Department of Diagnostic Radiology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, New York, USA.
Published online: January 1, 2001.
ABSTRACT
Although ultrasound has received little attention for bone lesions, and still limited in applying to skeletal diseases, the experience is changing in where the ultrasonic evaluation of bone lesions offers us valuable information, usually with less discomfort, risk, cost, and time expenditure than alternative modalities. Plain radiography is undoubtedly the basic and most important modality for bone lesions, and MR imaging has been more commonly used in many instances rather than ultrasound for evaluating same abnormalities or anatomic structures. The application of ultrasound may be helpful for additional information, and other soft tissue lesions can be excluded as the causes of pain rather than from bone itself. Authors have reviewed current applications of ultrasound to peripheral bone lesions and conditions. Some of these are new and have been used in a small series of patients. While experience is being growing and additional applications may be possible with close cooperation between radiologist and the clinician, progress will be, in the near future, achieved in ultrasonic evaluation for bone lesions.