Liver Ultrasound

March 2017 Liver ultrasound is something we do every day so we should be good at it, right? So long since the last update. I didn’t believe anyone read these so my good intentions lapsed long ago. I hear that a few of you peruse this material, so here is some more. More on livers…. […]

Injection therapies for plantar fasciopathy (‘plantar fasciitis’): a systematic review and network meta-analysis of 22 randomised controlled trials

Konstantinos Tsikopoulos, Haris S Vasiliadis and Dimitris Mavridis. Abstract Objective To compare the efficacy of different injection therapies for plantar fasciopathy (historically known as ‘plantar fasciitis’). Design Systematic review and network meta-analysis. Data sources Electronic databases (MEDLINE, CENTRAL, Web of Science and Scopus) were searched up to 11 July 2015 for completed studies. Eligibility criteria for selecting […]

To biopsy or not -the thyroid nodule dilemna

Thyroid nodules are very common and a small percentage of these are malignant. Ask 10 thyroid specialists about their approach to biopsy and diagnosis and you will get 10 different approaches. All will be rational and based on reasonable scientific data and on experience. The different approaches arise because the research is varied in its […]

A Sonographer’s Guide to Forefoot Imaging

Metatarsalgia and foot pain is a frequent clinical problem and forefoot imaging is undertaken frequently to assist in enabling a more specific diagnosis.  Referrals for ultrasound of the forefoot almost always are for the investigation of metatarsalgia and less often for clinical swelling. Most often the referral is looking for the presence of a Morton’s […]

Tendinopathy

WHAT IS TENDINOPATHY?

Tendinopathy is a term used for painful conditions occurring in and around tendons in response to injury and/or overuse and ageing. The natural course of symptoms is variable but most ultimately resolve (even if the tendon appearance on scans does not). Generally the length of symptoms varies according to age and severity.  A recent study suggested the median length of symptoms was 14 months. The incidence of symptoms in sedentary people is highest in middle age though at particular sites (lateral hips and shoulders) the incidence is greater with increasing age.

Achilles tendon swelling with micro-vascular change

HOW IS IT DIAGNOSED?

Ultrasound can confirm or rule out the diagnosis but the presence of tendinopathy on ultrasound does not necessarily indicate whether it is the cause of your symptoms.  The relationship between symptoms and the scan findings is determined by a clinician who combines the clinical history, examination findings, and all test and scan results. The incidence of asymptomatic tendinopathy also increases with age (i.e. many patients have scan findings of tendinopathy but no real symptoms).

A (well performed) ultrasound or MRI scan will determine whether there are significant tendon tears, inflammation, bursitis, or other nearby soft tissue pathology. It can broadly categorise the type of tendinopathy which usually helps in determining treatment options.

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Services Available

Iain primarily practices within the framework of medical imaging in Canberra, by supervising and reporting quality ultrasound and nuclear medicine.  His team can provide all the services that cover almost the entire spectrum of medical imaging, but he specialises in the services listed below. Nuclear Medicine Services Available see also nuclear medicine for dummies  BONE […]

Speaking and Education

Iain enjoys talking about things he is passionate about and has been a speaker at many conferences over the past 25 years. Iain won’t put you to sleep.  We all know someone who is passionate about something but can they make it interesting for you? Passion is the most important ingredient for great presentations, successful […]