What is an ultrasound guided injection?
A variety of inflammatory conditions including arthritis, bursitis, tendonitis, plantafaciitis respond well to injectable pharmaceuticals. For optimal effect, these need to be introduced into or immediately around the joint or tissue that is inflamed under medical imaging guidance.
The injection used for this procedure is most commonly a steroid (anti-inflammatory) medication. Local anaesthetic may also be used. The injection is intended to relieve pain by decreasing the localised inflammation.
Patient preparation
There is no specific preparation required.
When booking your biopsy appointment please inform us if you are taking any blood- thinning medication. (i.e. Aspirin, Warfarin, Clopidogrel, etc). You may need to have a blood-clotting test before the procedure and have your medication adjusted by your doctor.
What will happen during the examination?
You may be asked to change into a gown, depending on the part of the body being examined.
Ultrasound scanning is performed to locate the area and determine the best approach for acquiring the sample.
Under sterile conditions the radiologist (medical imaging specialist) will use ultrasound guidance to position a needle into the target area and inject the pharmaceutical. Bleeding is normally minimal and after needle removal a bandaid is applied.
Are there any risks?
A little bruising is normally the extent of the after-effects.
Other risks, such as infection or injury to organs, are very low. We take every precaution to ensure your procedure is safe and sterile.
If you have any symptoms that you are concerned with following your biopsy, please consult your doctor or present to an emergency department.
After the examination
As soon as you feel comfortable, which is normally immediately after your procedure, you may leave the department and resume your light activities. The radiologist will give you specific instructions.
