Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Scans in London
Tendons, ligaments, muscles and joints — assessed in real time, while they move. Because most MSK problems only show themselves in motion.
- Dynamic assessment — we scan the joint while you move it
- MSK scanning led by our Ultrasound Modality Lead
- Self-referral — findings discussed at your scan, report usually within two hours
- Side-to-side comparison with your healthy joint, under the same movement
CQC-registered clinic · Provider ID 1-2775844974 · HCPC-registered sonographers
What can a musculoskeletal ultrasound see?
MSK ultrasound examines the soft tissues that X-rays miss and static scans freeze: tendons, ligaments, muscles, bursae, nerves and the joint surfaces they move across. Its defining advantage is that it works in real time — your sonographer can watch the tendon glide as you raise your arm, press exactly where it hurts and see what is underneath, and compare the painful side with the healthy one under the same movement. That combination of dynamic assessment and point-of-pain correlation is something neither MRI nor X-ray can do.
What we scan, joint by joint
| Joint | Commonly assessed for | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Shoulder | Rotator cuff tears, impingement, bursitis, biceps tendon | £169 |
| Knee | Patellar and quadriceps tendons, Baker’s cyst, bursitis, effusion | £169 |
| Hip | Gluteal tendinopathy, trochanteric bursitis, effusion, snapping hip | £169 |
| Elbow | Tennis and golfer’s elbow, biceps insertion, effusion | £169 |
| Wrist | Median nerve (carpal tunnel), De Quervain’s, ganglia, tendon sheaths | £169 |
| Hand | Trigger finger, ganglia, tendon injuries, small lumps | £169 |
| Ankle | Achilles tendinopathy and tears, ligament sprains, peroneal tendons | £169 |
| Foot | Plantar fasciitis, Morton’s neuroma, bursae, soft-tissue lumps | £169 |
Upper-limb, lower-limb and other musculoskeletal scans are £169 — see other MSK scans or our full price list.
When ultrasound is the right test — and when MRI is
They are complementary tests, not competitors, and the honest answer depends on the question your joint is asking. Ultrasound excels at superficial soft tissue — tendons, ligaments near the surface, bursae, nerves — and at anything that only hurts or misbehaves during movement, because it is the only imaging performed in real time while you move. It also allows instant comparison with your other side, and costs a fraction of MRI with no waiting list. MRI excels at deep structures ultrasound cannot reach: the ACL and menisci inside the knee, the labrum of the hip and shoulder, cartilage surfaces and bone marrow.
Our commitment is simple: if your scan shows the question actually lives in a structure MRI sees better, we tell you that at the appointment and say so in your report — so your GP, physiotherapist or specialist can arrange the right next test without a wasted step. An ultrasound that honestly maps the boundary of what it can see is never a wasted scan; one that pretends to see everything is.
Why we scan the joint while it moves
Musculoskeletal scanning at IUS London is led by our senior team, including our Ultrasound Modality Lead — meet the sonographers. Findings are always discussed with you at your scan, and your written report is designed for your GP, physiotherapist or consultant to act on.
Not sure which scan? Start with what hurts
When shoulder pain will not settle — and what a scan can find.
Read the guide →
KneeKnee Pain After ExerciseTendon overload, Baker’s cysts and when imaging helps.
Read the guide →
HipOuter Hip PainGluteal tendinopathy and bursitis — the usual suspects.
Read the guide →
Which MSK scan do you need?
- Shoulder, knee, hip, elbow, wrist, hand, ankle or foot — the dedicated page for each
- Calf, hamstring, groin, forearm or shin — other MSK scan
- A soft tissue lump anywhere — other MSK scan
- A muscle tear you want graded before returning to sport
- Menisci and cruciate ligaments — MRI
- Cartilage and joint surfaces — MRI
- Bone, fractures and arthritis — X-ray
- The hip joint itself — X-ray or MRI
- Bone stress injuries — MRI
- Nerve function, as opposed to nerve appearance
What MSK ultrasound does well
Three strengths, and the boundary around them.
It works in motion
Tendons can be watched sliding and loading, nerves seen slipping out of grooves, and hernias caught appearing on straining. A still image cannot show mechanism — this is the core advantage.
It resolves superficial tissue beautifully
Tendons, ligaments, bursae and lumps sit close to the surface, where ultrasound gives resolution comparable to MRI and often better for tendon detail.
It stops at bone
Sound does not pass through bone, so anything inside a joint or within bone is outside its reach. That is not a shortcoming to work around — it is the reason MRI and X-ray exist alongside it.
What an MSK report tends to say
A finding is not automatically your diagnosis. Degenerative tendon change is common in people with no symptoms at all and becomes more common with age. Relevance comes from whether it sits where you hurt and fits your story.
How we scan
Scanned by the person reporting it
The sonographer who scans you writes your report. Nothing goes to a remote reader.
Dynamic assessment as standard
Every scan includes movement where movement is part of the problem — not an optional extra.
Both sides when it helps
Normal appearances vary between people; your own other side is the best reference available.
We name the right test
If your problem needs X-ray or MRI, the report says so rather than leaving it vague.
MSK ultrasound — your questions answered
Do I need a referral?
Ultrasound or MRI — which should I book?
Does the scan hurt, and how long does it take?
Can you compare both sides?
When do I get my results?
When should I not book an ultrasound?
Which MSK scan should I book?
Can ultrasound see inside a joint?
Do you offer X-ray, MRI or injections?
How much does an MSK scan cost?
After significant trauma — a fall, collision or injury where a fracture or dislocation is possible — go to urgent care or A&E first: bones need X-ray assessment before soft tissue. A joint that is hot, swollen and painful with fever or feeling unwell needs same-day urgent assessment. Sudden complete loss of function — being unable to bear weight or lift the arm at all after an injury — also needs urgent review. A private ultrasound is never a substitute for emergency care.
Where can you get an MSK ultrasound in London?
IUS London is a CQC-registered diagnostic ultrasound clinic at 5a Lucerne Mews, Kensington, London W8 4ED — a quiet mews three minutes’ walk from Notting Hill Gate station, serving Kensington, Chelsea, Bayswater, Holland Park and the wider city.
Appointments run Monday to Friday 9am to 8pm, Saturday 10am to 1pm, and Sunday by availability — often same-week. Book online or call 0203 051 6506; if you are unsure whether ultrasound is the right test for your joint, ask — we will tell you honestly before you book.
Getting here
Tube: Notting Hill Gate — Central, Circle and District lines — 3 minutes’ walk.
Address: 5a Lucerne Mews, Kensington, London W8 4ED.
See what is actually going on in there
Dynamic MSK assessment with findings explained at your scan and a written report usually within two hours — ready for your GP, physio or consultant to act on.
Kensington, London W8 4ED
3 mins from Notting Hill Gate
This page is general information and is not a substitute for advice from your doctor or physiotherapist.
Written and clinically reviewed by the HCPC-registered sonographers who perform this scan at IUS London — a CQC-registered diagnostic ultrasound clinic (Provider ID 1-2775844974). Your own findings are explained to you at the scan and set out in your report.
Author: Yianni Kiromitis, Senior Sonographer, HCPC RA38415
Medically reviewed: 31 July 2026