On-site X-ray, Fluoroscopy, Ultrasound and Weight Bearing CT-Scanner

X-rays are an important tool that our physicians use to diagnose foot and ankle problems. Most patients will need to have X-rays performed during their appointment if they have not already had them done at an outside facility. In our office, X-rays are performed when possible with the patient standing so the effects of body weight and gravity can be evaluated. Often, X-rays that are done outside our office may need to be repeated with weight bearing to accurately diagnose the patient’s problem.  

Fluoroscopy is a special type of live X-ray that can be shot like a video. This can be very useful to locate precisely where problems may be and to assess whether the bones and joints are unstable. 

Ultrasound is a medical device that uses sound waves to make images. (It is the same device that obstetricians use to examine babies in the uterus.) Orthopedic surgeons use ultrasound to precisely locate where to place injections around the foot and ankle to get the best results. Ultrasound is also used to evaluate soft-tissue injuries like Achilles and other tendon ruptures. 

A CT (computed tomography) scan is a special type of X-ray that takes hundreds of images within a few minutes to create a three-dimensional picture of the foot and ankle. This can help the orthopedic surgeon evaluate the finer details of the bones and joints in order to diagnose the problem and to decide on the best treatment. 

The Institute for Foot and Ankle Reconstruction at Mercy has a special type of CT scanner that takes images with the patient standing in the machine. This unique type of CT scan also evaluates alignment and the effects of body weight and gravity in order to make the correct diagnosis.