The Division of Musculoskeletal Imaging (MSK) comprises six dedicated faculty members with a broad range of experience, research interests, and backgrounds. This division is based at the Emory Orthopaedics and Spine Center at Executive Park and supports the musculoskeletal imaging needs of the entire Emory enterprise, including the new Emory Musculoskeletal Institute and the Emory Sports Medicine Complex in partnership with the Atlanta Hawks.
Within the division, there are numerous opportunities for clinical research. Each faculty member develops and implements research projects with radiology residents and fellows in addition to collaborating with orthopedic surgeons, non-operative sports medicine physicians, neurologists, neurosurgeons, endocrinologists, and rheumatologists. Current research projects include MR and ultrasound neurography for peripheral nerve pathology, identification of imaging criteria predictive of the development of decubitus and diabetic foot ulcerations, the utility of MSK ultrasound in the evaluation of sporting related injuries, implementation of web-based educational projects, and the assessment of sarcopenia as a predictor of poor surgical outcomes.
Typical diagnostic examination indications include evaluating the rotator cuff in a post-operative shoulder when artifact limits MRI; determining the etiology of patient-reported snapping sensations in the foot, ankle, hip, and shoulder; identifying and staging inflammatory arthritis before the onset of radiographic-apparent joint destruction; and targeting assessment of clinically suspected isolated tendon or ligamentous injury. Although these are common indications, the division can tailor ultrasound examinations to meet patients' and their referring physicians' needs. From a procedural standpoint, we offer various ultrasound-guided interventions including injections and aspirations of both small and large joints, tenotomy, peripheral nerve blocks, biopsies of soft tissue masses, Baker's cyst aspirations, ganglion cyst aspirations, tendon sheath injections, and ultrasound-guided arthrography.
In addition to ultrasound-guided interventions, CT-guided procedures are performed at Grady Memorial Hospital and Emory University Hospital Midtown. These procedures include intervertebral disc aspirations for suspected discitis/osteomyelitis and bone biopsies. We make use of both manual and automatic/battery operated bone drills for our bone biopsies.
Outpatient magnetic resonance arthrography is typically performed at the Executive Park location by either ultrasound or fluoroscopic guidance.
Residents, fellows, and medical students rotating through the division may attend and participate in various educational conferences. These include a weekly case-based MSK radiology conference, a monthly foot and ankle multidisciplinary conference, a monthly radiologic/arthroscopic sports medicine correlation conference, and a weekly multidisciplinary sarcoma conference. Monthly spine conferences are held at the Executive Park campus.
Lectures
Educational
MR/Arthroscopy Multidisciplinary Correlation Conferences
Conference Presentations
- Toes: Anatomy, Pathology, and Common Surgical Procedures
- Post-Operative Appearance of the Degenerative Cervical Spine
Interesting Cases
- Quetiapine-Induced Rhabdomyolysis
- ACL Revision and Tunnel Osteolysis
- Discoid Meniscus
- Distraction Osteogenesis
- Reverse Shoulder Arthroplasty Review
- Sagittal Band Injuries
- Tibial Eminence Fracture
- Carpal Instability
- Spontaneous Epidural Hematoma of the Spine
- Sural Nerve Injury After Ankle Surgery Confirmed with US-Guided Nerve Block
- Triangular Fibrocartilage Complex Injury: Anatomy and Classification
Journal Club
Scientific and Quality
- MRI of the Psoas Major Muscle: Anatomical Variants and Correlation with the Lumbar Disc Extrusion
- Lytic vs Sclerotic Bone Lesions: Diagnostic Accuracy of CT-Guided Core vs FNA Biopsy Techniques