Face-to-Face Ultrasound Guided Injections
Olympic Park Sports Medicine Centre now offers Musculoskeletal Ultrasound with the option of Ultrasound guided injection of soft tissues (muscle, around tendons) and joints with either cortisone (potent anti-inflammatory) or autologous blood products (2-3ml of your own blood).
HOW WE CAN HELP YOU:
Your Sport and Exercise Physician may decide that you require further investigation allowing a more accurate diagnosis of your problem – an ultrasound may be one such investigation.
An ultrasound guided injection ensures a much more targeted injection, ensuring it is placed in the correct position, giving maximal therapeutic effect. Use of Ultrasound to target injections to the correct anatomical site, is also radiation free, unlike injections that can be performed under X-ray or CT guidance. The Sport and Exercise Physicians listed below have had further specialist training in the use of Musculoskeletal Ultrasound with intervention. Where a problem may require a more specialist radiological opinion of your injury, your Sport and Exercise Physician may refer you off for more detailed imaging, or indeed intervention. The most common intervention performed by our Sport and Exercise Physicians are cortisone injections into joints, but these can also be performed around tendons, where indicated by your specialist. In certain instances, autologous blood products (up to 3ml of your own blood), after further preparation to become Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) may be injected into your joints. Should you have any further questions regarding ultrasound guided interventions and whether they can assist in the recovery of your injury, please ask your Sport and Exercise Physician.
OPSMC offers Ultrasound Guided Injections at its Olympic Park and Geelong Campuses.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a referral?
A GP or medical specialist referral is required to see a Sport and Exercise Physician. GP referrals are valid for 12 months from the date of your visit one of our Sport and Exercise Physicians. Other medical specialist referrals are valid for 3 months from the date of your first visit to one of our Sport and Exercise Physicians.
A GP referral is not required to see one of our Sport and Exercise Medicine Registrars. Our SEM Registrars are supervised by our Sport and Exercise Physicians and are all accredited trainees of the Australasian College of Sport and Exercise Physicians (ACSEP).
What do I need to bring?
Patients please bring in with you:
- ALL previous imaging (films and reports) relevant to your presenting condition
- Any referrals from your GP and other treating practitioners
- Comfortable clothes to change into should you need to be examined by your doctor and for the ultrasound
How long will the session take?
If your Sports and Exercise Physician decides to proceed with this service, the process will take about 15-20 minutes. If not, it can be performed in a later review consultation, giving you time to consider all the treatment options in your management program.
Can I get a rebate?
This service will attract a fee that will be less than most specialist radiology clinics. This will be in addition to your standard consultation fees. To obtain the maximum Medicare rebate for this and the consultation, you are asked to bring along a referral from your GP. It should also be noted that the Federal Government no longer allows a rebate for any autologous blood or PRP injection performed under ultrasound guidance, including the consultation fee.
Is this service covered by Private Health Insurance?
This service is not covered by Private Health Insurance.