Joint and soft tissue ultrasound

Ultrasound of the joints and soft tissues shows ligaments, tendons, muscles, fluid, the synovial lining, the cartilage on the bone surface, nerves, lymph nodes and the fat under the skin. It works in real time. The doctor does not just look at a still image. They ask you to bend your arm or leg and watch how a tendon moves, whether it gets pinched, whether a tear opens up. No radiation. No prep. One area takes 10 to 20 minutes. At Oberig Clinic, ultrasound doctors of the Diagnostic Department do the scan on expert-class machines.

What joint ultrasound shows

Ultrasound sees everything close to the skin well. Torn or inflamed tendons (tendinitis). Sprained or torn ligaments. Fluid in a joint or in a bursa (bursitis). A thick joint lining in arthritis. Cysts, bruises, foreign bodies and trapped nerves. Doppler mode shows extra blood flow in inflamed tissue, and that helps the doctor judge how active arthritis is and whether treatment is working.

In rheumatology, ultrasound has become a core tool. It picks up inflammation in the small joints of the hand before any change on X-ray. It shows bone erosions, gout crystals on cartilage (the double contour sign) and inflamed entheses, the spots where tendons attach to bone. A repeat scan a few months later shows whether treatment works. Is there less fluid? Less blood flow in the lining?

It has limits. Sound waves do not pass through bone. Deep parts of a joint, bone marrow swelling, the inner parts of the menisci and the cruciate ligaments of the knee show up better on MRI. X-ray shows fractures. So ultrasound is often step one: fast, affordable, no waiting list. If questions remain, the doctor orders a targeted MRI. Leg joints usually suffer from load and injury. In the arms, doctors more often look for tendon inflammation and arthritis. Here is what we look for in each area:

Area	Most common findings
Knee	fluid, Baker's cyst, side ligaments, patellar tendon, meniscus edge
Shoulder	rotator cuff tear and tendinitis, bursitis, calcium deposits
Elbow	epicondylitis ("tennis elbow"), bursitis, trapped ulnar nerve
Hand and wrist	ganglion cysts, tenosynovitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, small joint arthritis
Hip	fluid, trochanteric bursitis, tendons, area around a hip implant
Ankle and foot	sprained ligaments, Achilles tendon, plantar fasciitis, Morton's neuroma

Knee ultrasound

The knee is the top reason people come in. Most knee scans follow a sports injury, swelling, pain on the stairs, osteoarthritis or arthritis. The doctor checks how much fluid is in the joint, the joint lining, the side ligaments, the quadriceps and patellar tendons, the outer edges of the menisci and the cartilage on the thigh bone. Behind the knee we often find a Baker's cyst. It is a fluid-filled pouch. It feels tight and can burst.

When a knee is badly swollen, the doctor can draw off the fluid with a needle under ultrasound guidance. That brings quick relief. The fluid then goes to the lab, which helps tell an injury from infection, gout or rheumatoid arthritis. The same approach works for a large Baker's cyst.

If only one knee hurts, the doctor may still look at the other one. A side-by-side view shows even small differences. For the cruciate ligaments, the inner menisci or bone swelling, you will need a knee MRI.

Shoulder, elbow, hand and foot

Shoulder

Shoulder scans are especially useful because rotator cuff problems show up in motion. The rotator cuff is a group of tendons that hold the top of the arm bone in place. The doctor asks you to lift your arm out to the side and sees exactly where the tendon catches under the bone. Most patients are 40 to 60 and hurt when they raise the arm or lie on that side. Athletes after an injury come in too.

Elbow and hand

At the elbow, ultrasound helps with pain on the outer or inner side (epicondylitis), swelling over the elbow tip (bursitis) and a numb little finger when the ulnar nerve gets trapped. In the hand it sees ganglion cysts, inflamed tendon sheaths, a swollen median nerve in carpal tunnel syndrome and early signs of rheumatoid arthritis. High-frequency probes show the tiny finger tendons in detail.

Ankle and foot

The ankle usually suffers from a rolled foot. The scan shows whether a ligament is stretched, partly torn or fully torn, and whether there is a bruise. In the foot we look for Achilles tendon inflammation and tears, plantar fasciitis (the cause of heel pain in the morning) and Morton's neuroma between the toes. Come in during the first days after an injury. Fresh bruising and swelling show up best. Runners and people who spend all day on their feet are frequent visitors here, and a single scan often ends weeks of guessing about heel or ankle pain.

Hip ultrasound in adults

The hip joint sits deep, so ultrasound cannot see all of it. Still, it shows fluid in the joint, trochanteric bursitis (a common cause of pain on the outer thigh, especially in women), the buttock and hip flexor tendons and the area around an implant. Ultrasound can also guide an injection into the joint or bursa. The doctor sees the needle tip on the screen. The medicine goes exactly where the inflammation is, not into nearby tissue.

To assess cartilage, the head of the thigh bone or bone death (avascular necrosis), you need MRI or X-ray. Hip ultrasound in babies by the Graf method is a separate technique with its own line in the price list.

Soft tissue ultrasound

People come in with a lump, a firm spot, swelling or muscle pain after an injury. Ultrasound tells a lipoma from a cyst, bruise, abscess, enlarged lymph node or tumor. It shows the size, edges and blood flow of a lump. If anything looks doubtful, the doctor can take a needle sample under ultrasound guidance.

A neck scan covers lymph nodes, salivary glands, neck cysts and muscles. A face scan helps with swelling, inflamed salivary glands and problems after cosmetic procedures and fillers. A leg scan is for calf pain (torn muscle, bruise), lumps on the thigh and injuries. A belly wall scan shows hernias, lipomas and fluid collections after surgery.

Muscle injuries are a big part of the work. A sudden sharp pain in the calf or thigh during sport often means a torn muscle. Ultrasound shows how big the tear is and whether blood has pooled inside. That tells your doctor how long to rest and when to start rehab. A repeat scan in two or three weeks shows how it heals.

Ultrasound or MRI

Ultrasound wins when motion matters, when you need a side-by-side view, for structures near the skin and for speed. It costs less, has no contraindications and works with metal implants. MRI wins for deep structures: cruciate ligaments, cartilage, bone marrow, inner menisci and the hip labrum. In practice, doctors often start with ultrasound. They add MRI if the answer is incomplete or surgery is planned.

What happens during the scan

No special prep. Eat, drink and take your usual medicines. Here is how it goes:

• wear clothes that are easy to take off or roll up over the area, and bring past ultrasound, MRI or X-ray reports,
• the doctor asks about your symptoms, the injury and where exactly it hurts. That decides what they will look at,
• gel goes on the skin, the probe moves over the area, and you bend, straighten or tense a muscle when asked,
• if needed, the doctor compares with the healthy side and turns on Doppler,
• the doctor tells you what they see right away. The written report with images comes the same day or within 24 hours.

It does not hurt. With a fresh injury, probe pressure can be a little uncomfortable, and the doctor will go gently. No limits afterwards. You can go straight back to work, sport or driving.

Common questions

Do I need a referral?

No. You can book yourself. If an orthopedist or rheumatologist gave you a referral, bring it. The ultrasound doctor will answer their exact question.

Can I have a scan right after an injury?

Yes. It is even better. Fresh bruising, fluid and tears are clearest in the first days.

How many areas can I have scanned at once?

As many as you need. Each area is billed separately, so mention all joints when you book.

Can I have it with a metal implant?

Yes. Metal is not a problem. It casts a shadow behind it, but the tissue around it shows up well.

Is it safe for children and in pregnancy?

Yes. Ultrasound has no radiation and is safe at any age and in pregnancy. A parent usually stays with a child during the scan.

Who explains the results?

The ultrasound doctor tells you what they found. An orthopedic surgeon, surgeon or rheumatologist plans treatment.

Joint and soft tissue ultrasound prices

We charge per area: one joint or one soft tissue zone. One knee costs UAH 1,245. Both knees count as two areas. Every other joint costs the same: elbow, ankle, foot, hand. A neck soft tissue scan costs UAH 1,255. Lymph nodes are a separate item. Some lines are for scans by Honored Doctor of Ukraine Nataliia Riepina. Current prices:

Test (ultrasound)	Price
Joints and bones, one area	UAH 1,245
Joints and bones, by Honored Doctor of Ukraine N. Riepina	UAH 1,495
Soft tissue, one area	UAH 1,255
Soft tissue, by N. Riepina	UAH 1,325
Tendons and nerves	UAH 1,075
Peripheral lymph nodes, one area	UAH 1,175
Ultrasound-guided joint injection (medicine not included)	UAH 1,320

Prices are from the clinic price list as of 01.10.2026 and may change. Please check the current price with our contact center before your visit.

Why choose Oberig Clinic

• Expert-class machines. The clinic has 17 ultrasound machines. Seven are expert class, including the ACUSON Sequoia by Siemens.
• Experienced doctors. Radiologist Taras Matsiievskyi heads the Diagnostic Department. Some scans are done by Honored Doctor of Ukraine Nataliia Riepina, an EFSUMB member.
• Full workup in one place. If needed, you can have MRI, X-ray or an ultrasound-guided needle procedure here too. Results are ready within 24 hours.
• Treatment next door. Orthopedic surgeons, general surgeons and rehab specialists all work in one clinic.

Address: 3 Zoolohichna St, buildings "G" and "V", Kyiv. Book online at https://my.oberig.ua/ua/appointment/ or call +38 044 521 30 03.