Abstract
Ultrasonography is a noninvasive diagnostic method that has gained an established role in many branches of medicine. The inability of ultrasound to penetrate bone, however, delayed its application in the orthopedic field. In the 1970’s, the successful work of Dr. Graf in developmental dysplasia of the hip joint with ultrasound helped promote greater use of ultrasonography to evaluate abnormalities of the musculoskeletal system. Over the past two decades it has been increasingly recognized that ultrasound is an useful tool in orthopedics. In this installment, how to read an orthopedic ultrasound, the potential applications, its diagnostic capabilities, and technical aspects of the ultrasound examination are described. It is certain that ultrasonography will be a new method of investigation in orthopedic diagnosis.
