Ultrasound-guided musculoskeletal procedures in children

Ultrasound is an excellent tool to evaluate many pediatric musculoskeletal conditions. It may be used for both diagnosis and for guidance for therapeutic procedures. With US, the radiologist can readily evaluate the contralateral side for comparison. No sedation is typically required and ionizing radiation is avoided. Real-time information is obtained with US and the portability of US allows for the performance of bedside interventions in children who cannot be transported or are clinically unstable. Limitations of US compared with MRI and CT include limited field of view, inability to evaluate the bone marrow and user dependence of image and exam quality. In this article, we discuss common US-guided musculoskeletal procedures in children, including hip aspiration, joint injection, soft-tissue biopsy and foreign body removal.