The Evolution of Diagnostic and Interventional Ultrasound in Sports Medicine

Diagnostic and interventional ultrasound is a rapidly evolving field in sports medicine. The use of ultrasound has increased exponentially during the past decades. This imaging modality is appealing to sports medicine physicians because of its broad diagnostic and interventional capabilities. In sports medicine, the indications for diagnostic ultrasound extend well beyond the musculoskeletal realm to include other conditions such as ocular trauma, thoracoabdominal trauma, and cardiac morphology. Thus, the term “sports ultrasound” has been adopted as a more accurate representation of the broad and unique applications of ultrasound in this specialty. Ultrasound-guided procedures also have evolved from the commonly performed joint and tendon sheath injections to include ultrasound-guided surgical procedures. This article will discuss the evolution of diagnostic and interventional ultrasound in sports medicine using a case-based approach to highlight its many new applications.