Ultrasound-guided interventions in the foot and ankle.

Overview

Both chronic as well as acute foot and ankle pain are common indications for visits to general practitioners, rheumatologists, and orthopedic surgeons. The causes for foot and ankle pain are varied and can include osseous pathology (fractures), yet the far greater majority are secondary to soft-tissue injuries and inflammation. Regional corticosteroid injections, traditionally performed using anatomic landmarks, can be inaccurate and miss intended targets. The use of ultrasound for guidance for interventional radiologic procedures is well known, including guidance for vascular as well as visceral interventions. Using sonography to guide for interventions in the musculoskeletal system, specifically the foot and ankle, yields accurate placement of the needle tip and subsequent anesthetic/steroid injection as well as diagnostic aspiration of tendon sheaths, joint spaces, and bursae.