Ultrasound Services

Welcome to a new dimension of rheumatologic care at Synergy Rheumatology and Wellness. Musculoskeletal ultrasound represents a significant advancement in diagnosing and treating rheumatologic conditions. Dr. Fellows is RhMSUS-certified by the American College of Rheumatology – this credential is awarded following arduous, additional training in ultrasound above usual rheumatology training.

Diagnostic ultrasound is a cornerstone of our practice. This non-invasive and painless technology allows us to visualize the structures inside your body in real-time. It can become crucial to confirming your diagnosis, assessing disease activity, and evaluating the effectiveness of our treatment plan. By using ultrasound, we can make informed decisions about your treatment plan with more precision and confidence than possible without.

Ultrasound technology significantly enhances the accuracy of joint aspirations and injections. This guidance allows for precise targeting, leading to more effective and less painful treatments. Our ultrasound-guided procedures include:

• Therapeutic and Diagnostic Joint Aspirations: Extracting fluid from joints for analysis and relief.
• Injections: Delivering medication directly to the affected area.
• Trigger Point Injections: Alleviating muscle pain and spasms.
• Prolotherapy: Promoting natural healing in joints and ligaments.
• Tendon Fenestration: Treating chronic tendon injuries.

These procedures benefit from ultrasound guidance by ensuring accuracy, minimizing discomfort, and improving overall treatment outcomes.

Incorporating ultrasound into our practice sets us apart, offering you a level of care that’s both advanced and personal. It allows for quicker, more accurate diagnoses and more effective treatments, tailored to your specific needs.

Q: Is ultrasound safe?
A: Absolutely. Ultrasound uses sound waves and is free from radiation.

Q: What can the ultrasound show about my joints?
A: The ultrasound excels at the soft tissues around and inside our joints. This includes the normal joint capsule and tissue within (synovium), tendons, ligaments, fat pads. It also gives exceptional resolution of the outside of bone, allowing us to see fractures down to the millimeter in size, smaller than X-ray is capable of seeing. Inflammation from rheumatic diseases is easily visible on ultrasound, even in subtle cases where a trained rheumatologist may not detect any inflammation on a usual physical exam.

While ultrasound is highly effective in detecting and monitoring inflammatory conditions, it cannot replace X-ray, computed tomography (CT), or magnetic resonance (MRI) in other circumstances.

Q: How long does a typical ultrasound procedure take?
A: It depends! For usual diagnostic ultrasounds, a small joint like a finger knuckle can take as little as 10 seconds. For a larger joint like an ankle or shoulder, it may take 10 minutes or longer. Using ultrasound for needle guidance adds complexity but takes slightly longer than an unguided injection.

Q: Will I feel any discomfort during the procedure?
A: Ultrasound is a painless procedure. You may feel slight pressure when the transducer is applied.

Q: How do I know if I’d benefit from ultrasound during my visit?
A: Dr. Fellows will advise you what the benefits in your particular case may be and will recommend it if appropriate.

Q: What does a diagnostic ultrasound procedure or adding ultrasound guidance to an injection cost?
A: Use of ultrasound during a visit is free of charge for members, for initial consultations, and is covered by Medicare. It is available for a small fee for others.