Ultrasound (US) of the musculoskeletal system is rapidly growing in stature and utility with the advent of high-resolution equipment and an increasing pool of expertise and interest worldwide. Not only radiologists, but also sports physicians, emergency physicians, and orthopedic surgeons are making increasing use of this technology for the assessment of musculoskeletal system diseases.

Although musculoskeletal US is probably the imaging technique of choice for assessment of superficial musculoskeletal lesions, it remains underutilized where joint abnormalities are to be assessed. MR imaging remains the pre-eminent modality for this purpose worldwide because of its ability to depict anatomic relationships and tissue structures so exquisitely.

Nevertheless, there are many advantages of US over MR imaging that warrant its wider use in the assessment of joints, especially as a first-line investigation. These are listed below: