What is an ultrasound?
Ultrasound, also known as a sonogram, refers to an imaging test that uses high-frequency sound waves, too high for the human ear to hear, to generate an image of the structures inside your body.
Dr. Bocian uses ultrasound to look at the bones and soft tissues inside your feet and ankles to diagnose and locate a variety of injuries and conditions. He uses a device called a transducer to direct high-frequency sound waves at your foot and ankle. The sound waves then bounce off the bones and soft tissues and produce an image.
What conditions can a foot and ankle ultrasound diagnose?
Dr. Bocian can use ultrasound to diagnose bone and soft tissue conditions including:
- Morton’s neuroma: A thickening of nerve tissue in the foot that creates a sensation similar to stepping on a rock
- Tendinitis: Inflammation or irritation of a tendon, common in the Achilles tendon, which runs from your calf to your heel
- Bursitis: An inflammation of the bursae, fluid-filled sacs that cushion bones, tendons, joints, and muscles, which can affect the ankle
- Plantar fasciitis: Inflammation of the plantar fascia, a band of tissue that connects your heel bone to your toes
- Heel spurs: A bony protrusion on the heel bone that often accompanies plantar fasciitis
- Tarsal tunnel syndrome: Pain, tingling, numbness, and other symptoms that result from compression of the tibial nerve, which runs through the ankle
In addition to being a precise diagnostic tool, ultrasound aids Dr. Bocian’s treatment of many of these conditions. For example, if you receive injections of steroid medication for pain relief, he may use ultrasound imaging to locate the precise location of the inflammation.
How do I prepare for an ultrasound?
Ultrasound doesn’t require any special preparation. Unlike X-ray, the procedure doesn’t use radiation. You also don’t have to worry about feeling claustrophobic, as you may when you undergo an MRI.
In the examination room, Dr. Bocian or a member of his staff applies a clear gel to the part of your foot or ankle that’s being examined. This gel conducts the sound waves, and though it feels cold and wet on the skin, the procedure is painless. Dr. Bocian then moves a hand-held transducer over the area, generating images.
To schedule a foot and ankle ultrasound at Darin A. Bocian, DPM, call or use the online booking tool today.
