An image-guided musculoskeletal intervention is a diagnostic procedure which includes therapeutic percutaneous aspiration and drainage of multiple types of intra-articular, juxta-articular, and intramuscular pathologic fluid collections. These procedures may be performed under fluoroscopic, ultrasound, computed tomography, or even magnetic resonance guidance depending on the location to be accessed, type of pathology. This article overviews about the general technique used for accessing muscular joints via imaging guidance.
Aspiration is defined as leaving a catheter in place in an attempt to completely empty and/or collapse a fluid collection with continuous drainage. Musculoskeletal image-guided aspiration and drainage procedures are minimally invasive and generally very safe while offering valuable diagnostic information as well as therapeutic benefit. Image guidance allows for the…
