Radiologists use musculoskeletal or MSK ultrasound to provide real-time images of muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves, and cartilage throughout the body.

MSK ultrasound is especially useful in the diagnosis of orthopedic and sports injuries like rotator cuff tears, as well as chronic conditions like rheumatoid arthritis. Movement can sometimes cause pain or injury, which cannot be captured in a static image. Ultrasound is a real-time imaging method that can provide information that other imaging methods cannot. It also has the added benefit of being radiation-free.