Musculoskeletal Imaging
The doctors of Section of Musculoskeletal Imaging and Intervention are skilled experts working as a team with other physicians in the diagnosis and treatment of orthopedic injuries and diseases of the bones, joints, and muscles of the arms, legs, and pelvis, as well as in the spine. Our section specializes in the treatment of adult patients.
As the only level 1 trauma center in Orange County, our experts regularly see a wide variety of injuries of the bones, joints, and muscles, in situations ranging from major injuries such as motor vehicle collisions, sports injuries, minor household injuries, and work related injuries, and include fractures, joint dislocations, and muscle tears.
What are examples of orthopedic illnesses we diagnose?
Orthopedic diseases include arthritis (including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, and psoriasis, among others), benign and malignant tumors of the muscles and bones, infections of the muscles and bones, systemic metabolic diseases which affect the muscles and bones such as osteoporosis and renal osteodystrophy.
We work in close communication and consultation with many departments of the university, including the Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Department of Medicine, in helping to diagnose and lead patients toward healing and recovery.
What do we offer?
• A full range of services for the diagnosis injuries and diseases of the joints, muscles, and bones of the extremities, pelvis, and spine
• Expert knowledge of orthopedic oncology, sports injuries, infections, and arthritis
• Minimally invasive image guided precision biopsy procedures for the diagnosis of tumors of the muscles, bones, and other soft tissues of the extremities
• Minimally invasive sampling for joint infections, and treatment of joint inflammation and pain
Who are our patients?
• Adults and young adults
• People seeking treatment of shoulder, elbow, hand, wrist, hip, knee, foot or ankle pain or instability
• People seeking treatment of back pain
• People seeking treatment of arthritis pain or monitoring arthritis treatment
• People who have been injured at work or playing sports
• People with joint replacements or other orthopedic hardware and are having pain
• People who have cancer of the muscle, bone, and other soft tissues
What diseases and imaging expertise are within our specialty?
• Diseases of the shoulder including rotator cuff tears, tendinitis, frozen shoulder, and labral tears, as well as other injuries and maladies of the shoulder
• Tendon and ligament injuries of the elbows, wrists, and hands
• Labral tears and cartilage injuries in the hips
• Tendon and ligament injuries of the knees, ankles, and feet
• Spine injuries
• Arthritis of the extremities and spine
• Monitoring of joint prosthesis and other orthopedic hardware
• Assessment for osteoporosis related bone fractures
• Fractures and joint dislocations
• Metabolic bone diseases
• Bone infarcts/necrosis
• Soft tissue and bone infections
• Non-cancerous lesions of the muscle and bone
• Image guided precision placement of pain medicine and cushioning agents into the joints
• Image guided contrast placement into joints for specialized CT and MRI assessment of joint derangement
• Image guided minimally invasive biopsy of soft tissue and bone lesions
With whom do we work in our efforts to fight disease?
• Our patients and their significant others
• Physicians and surgeons from other medical and surgical specialties, including orthopedic surgeons, emergency department physicians, rheumatologists, family and sports medicine physicians, oncologists and internal medicine physicians
• Medical researchers in musculoskeletal diseases
What imaging services do we provide?
• State of the art 256-slice CT scanners
• High spatial resolution MRI scanners
• Specialized MRI imaging Techniques for patients with joint replacements as well as spinal and non-spinal metallic orthopedic fixation hardware
• Image guided joint aspirations for diagnosis and treatment planning of joint infections and arthritis
• Image guided contrast injection into joints for specialized MR arthrography examinations
• CT and ultrasound guided soft tissue and bone biopsies and aspirations
• Image guided therapeutic joint injections for pain relief
Who are the members of our team?
• Board certified medical doctors subspecialized in the diagnosis, monitoring, and minimally invasive treatment of orthopedic diseases (musculoskeletal radiologists), who are also University of California medical faculty members
• Subspecialty fellow physicians in musculoskeletal radiology
• Resident physicians
• Medical students