I was recently reminded of the value of musculoskeletal ultrasound in detecting unsuspected fractures through two shoulder cases shared by Dr. Brennan Boettcher, DO, a sports medicine specialists at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, and Dr. Erik Adams, MD, a sports medicine specialist in private practice in Bozeman, Montana. Both Dr. Boettcher and Dr. Adams are highly experienced in musculoskeletal US, with diagnostic and interventional MSK US comprising a significant portion of their clinical practices.
These cases serve as an important reminder that US is not only valuable for evaluating soft tissue pathology but can also identify subtle osseous abnormalities that may warrant further investigation.
If you have encountered a case in which US led to the unexpected diagnosis of a fracture, I encourage you to share it in the Community Hub at UltimateMSK.com. Cases such as these provide valuable learning opportunities and help expand our collective understanding of the many ways musculoskeletal US can impact patient care.