What imaging modalities can be used to guide joint injections aspirations or arthrography?
US, CT, or fluoroscopy may be selected to perform joint injections, aspirations, or arthrography. The selection of the specific imaging modality to guide the procedure depends upon the joint to be accessed, operator preference, patient characteristics (such as body habitus, age, pregnancy status, and ability to comply with the examination, among others), and the clinical question to be answered. One should consider using US rather than fluoroscopy for patients who are young or pregnant, in order to avoid ionizing radiation.
