Expert musculoskeletal ultrasound imaging for joints, tendons, ligaments, and soft tissue at our CQC-registered Marylebone clinic. Same-day appointments are often available, no GP referral is required, and a written report follows within 24 hours. MSK imaging is one of the ultrasound scans in London that Sonoworld provides at 29 Weymouth Street, Marylebone.
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Not sure which joint scan you need? Call our clinical team for guidance.
Musculoskeletal ultrasound is the gold-standard imaging modality for assessing soft tissue injuries, joint pathology, and tendon disorders. Unlike MRI, it provides real-time dynamic imaging, allowing our clinicians to assess structures in motion, compare both sides simultaneously, and provide immediate verbal feedback during the examination.
At Sonoworld, all MSK scans are performed by consultant sonographers with specialist musculoskeletal expertise. Every examination uses high-resolution GE ultrasound equipment, and a comprehensive written report is delivered within 24 hours. No GP referral is required.
Choose the scan that matches your affected joint or area. If you are unsure, call our team for guidance.
Assessment of the rotator cuff, biceps tendon, subacromial bursa, and acromioclavicular joint. The first-line investigation for shoulder pain, impingement, and suspected rotator cuff tears.
Evaluation of the patellar tendon, quadriceps tendon, collateral ligaments, Baker's cyst, and periarticular soft tissues. Ideal for knee pain, swelling, or suspected ligament injury.
Assessment of the hip joint, trochanteric bursa, gluteal tendons, and hip flexor muscles. The preferred modality for trochanteric bursitis, gluteal tendinopathy, and hip flexor strains.
Detailed imaging of the Achilles tendon, peroneal tendons, ankle ligaments, and plantar fascia. Ideal for Achilles tendinopathy, ankle sprains, and plantar fasciitis.
Assessment of the carpal tunnel, wrist tendons, De Quervain's tenosynovitis, trigger finger, and ganglion cysts. The preferred investigation for wrist pain, hand swelling, and nerve entrapment.
Evaluation of the lateral and medial epicondyle tendons, ulnar nerve, and elbow joint. The preferred investigation for tennis elbow, golfer's elbow, and ulnar nerve entrapment.
Assessment of the plantar fascia, forefoot tendons, Morton's neuroma, and metatarsal soft tissues. Ideal for plantar fasciitis, forefoot pain, and suspected Morton's neuroma.
Characterisation of soft tissue masses, lipomas, ganglion cysts, and other lumps throughout the body. Provides rapid, accurate assessment to determine whether a lump requires further investigation.
Use this guide to match your symptoms to the most appropriate scan. If you are unsure, our clinical team can advise.
Rotator cuff tear, impingement, or biceps tendinopathy
Shoulder Scan →Patellar tendinopathy, Baker's cyst, or ligament injury
Knee Scan →Achilles tendinopathy, ankle ligament sprain, or plantar fasciitis
Ankle Scan →Carpal tunnel syndrome, De Quervain's tenosynovitis, or ganglion cyst
Wrist Scan →Trochanteric bursitis, gluteal tendinopathy, or hip flexor strain
Hip Scan →Arrive at our Marylebone clinic. No preparation is required for most MSK scans; wear or bring comfortable, loose clothing for the area being scanned.
Your consultant sonographer will apply gel to the skin and scan the affected area using a high-resolution probe. You may be asked to move the joint during the scan for dynamic assessment.
Your sonographer will explain their findings immediately after the scan, answering any questions you may have about what was seen.
A comprehensive written report is emailed to you within 24 hours. You may share this directly with your GP, physiotherapist, or specialist.
All eight joint scans cost £235, take about 30 minutes and need no preparation, so the choice is about where the problem is and what ultrasound can show there. This comparison also covers when an MRI is the better test and how the injection clinic fits in.
| Scan | Price | Time | Typical problems | Preparation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shoulder | £235 | 30 min | Rotator cuff tears, impingement, biceps tendon, subacromial bursitis | None |
| Elbow | £235 | 30 min | Tennis or golfer's elbow, ulnar nerve entrapment, tendon injury | None |
| Wrist | £235 | 30 min | Carpal tunnel, De Quervain's, ganglion cysts | None |
| Hand and finger | £235 | 30 min | Trigger finger, Dupuytren's, tendon injuries, small lumps, arthritis | None |
| Hip | £235 | 30 min | Trochanteric bursitis, gluteal tendinopathy, hip flexor strain, effusion | None |
| Knee | £235 | 30 min | Patellar tendinopathy, Baker's cyst, collateral ligament injury | None |
| Ankle | £235 | 30 min | Achilles tendinopathy, ligament sprains, peroneal tendons, plantar fasciitis | None |
| Foot | £235 | 30 min | Morton's neuroma, plantar fasciitis, forefoot tendons, soft-tissue masses | None |
| Guided cortisone injection | From £250 | 15 to 30 min | Persistent inflammation of a joint, tendon sheath or bursa after a diagnostic scan | Discussed before booking |
| Guided hyaluronic acid injection | From £250 | 15 to 30 min | Osteoarthritis, most often the knee | Discussed before booking |
MSK ultrasound is at its best for tendons, ligaments, muscles, bursae and nerves close to the skin, and it has one advantage no other scan offers: the joint can be moved while it is imaged, so a tendon that catches or a shoulder that pinches can be seen doing it. A shoulder scan is the usual first test for pain reaching overhead or lying on that side, because rotator cuff tears, impingement and bursitis are all soft-tissue problems. For the elbow, wrist and hand, the common questions are tendon irritation, nerve compression such as carpal tunnel, and lumps such as ganglions, and ultrasound answers all three. At the hip it targets the outer-hip tendons and bursa and can confirm fluid in the joint; at the knee it looks at the patellar tendon, the collateral ligaments and cysts behind the knee; and at the ankle and foot it covers the Achilles, ligament sprains, the plantar fascia and Morton's neuroma.
The two answer different questions. Ultrasound is the right choice for anything you can point to near the surface, for problems that change with movement, and when you want an answer the same day. MRI is better for bone, cartilage and the deep structures inside a joint: a suspected meniscal or cruciate tear in the knee, a labral tear in the hip or shoulder, or stress fractures. If your scan suggests one of those, the report will say so and you can take it to a specialist for the MRI request, having already excluded the soft-tissue causes that are far more common.
Many MSK problems settle with rest, physiotherapy and time. Where inflammation persists in a tendon sheath, bursa or joint, an ultrasound-guided cortisone injection places the medication exactly where the scan showed the problem, and for osteoarthritis, most often the knee, an ultrasound-guided hyaluronic acid injection is the alternative. Injections start from £250, a diagnostic scan usually comes first, and the process, the practitioner and the cost are confirmed with you before anything is arranged.
An MSK report is written to be used. It names the structure involved, grades a tendon tear as partial or full thickness, measures a collection or cyst, notes whether there is active inflammation on colour Doppler, and states what the finding usually means for treatment: rest and physiotherapy, a guided injection, or a referral for MRI or a surgical opinion. Physiotherapists often ask for exactly this information before planning rehabilitation, and many patients book the scan for that reason rather than waiting for a hospital appointment.
No MSK scan needs preparation: eat and drink normally and wear clothing that gives easy access to the joint. Bring any previous imaging reports, as they help the sonographer focus. You will hear the findings in the room, and a written report with images follows within 24 hours, suitable for a GP, physiotherapist or orthopaedic specialist.
A joint that is hot, red and swollen with a fever, or an injury where the limb looks deformed or you cannot bear weight, needs urgent care rather than a booked scan. Use the Scan Advisor, call 020 3633 4902, or book the scan that matches your main symptom: the clinician will tell you on the day if a different examination would answer your question better.
Evidence-based guides written by our clinical team to help you understand your symptoms and make informed decisions.
How to tell if your shoulder pain needs imaging, and what an ultrasound can reveal about rotator cuff health.
Read the guide →A guide to the most common causes of knee pain and when ultrasound imaging is the right next step.
Read the guide →Understanding trochanteric bursitis, gluteal tendinopathy, and other common causes of hip pain.
Read the guide →From Achilles tendinopathy to partial tears: what ultrasound reveals and how to interpret your results.
Read the guide →How ultrasound differentiates lateral from medial epicondylitis and guides treatment decisions.
Read the guide →When wrist pain and tingling needs investigation: the role of ultrasound in carpal tunnel diagnosis.
Read the guide →No. Sonoworld accepts self-referrals for all musculoskeletal scans and no GP letter is required. Your written report is yours to share with a GP, physiotherapist or consultant.
They answer different questions. Ultrasound is excellent for tendons, ligaments, bursae and superficial soft tissue, and it is dynamic: the joint can be moved and imaged in real time. MRI is better for bone, cartilage and deep structures within the joint. For most tendon and soft-tissue problems, ultrasound is the appropriate first test.
Yes. Comparing the symptomatic side with the other is often clinically useful, and a bilateral examination is priced at £350 rather than two separate scans.
No preparation is needed. Wear clothing that allows easy access to the area being scanned, or you will be given a gown.
Not usually at the diagnostic appointment itself. The scan establishes what is wrong first; if an ultrasound-guided injection is appropriate, that is arranged through our injection clinic.
Most MSK scans take around 20 to 30 minutes. You receive instant verbal results at the appointment, with your written report following within 24 hours.
