Is diagnostic ultrasound safe?

Yes. It uses sound waves, not radiation.

Does an ultrasound hurt?

No. You will feel the gel and light pressure from the probe.

How is ultrasound different from an X-ray?

An X-ray shows bone. Ultrasound shows soft tissue such as tendons, ligaments and the plantar fascia, and it shows them in real time.

Can ultrasound diagnose plantar fasciitis?

It can help. Ultrasound can show whether the plantar fascia is thickened, which, together with your symptoms and exam, helps confirm plantar fasciitis.

Do I need to go to an imaging center?

No. Diagnostic ultrasound is done right in our Scarsdale office.

A diagnostic ultrasound image of the heel, labelled to show the plantar fascia, the calcaneus and the tissue under the skin

In-Office Diagnostic Ultrasound for the Foot and Ankle in Westchester, NY

At Westchester Podiatric Medicine – Nerve & Wound Healing Institute, Dr. John Marzano, DPM uses diagnostic ultrasound in the office to look at the soft tissue of your foot and ankle in real time, with no radiation.

Call Now Request Appointment

What is diagnostic ultrasound?

Diagnostic ultrasound uses sound waves to create live images of the soft tissue inside your foot and ankle. Where an X-ray shows bone, ultrasound shows the structures around it, such as the plantar fascia, tendons and ligaments, and it shows them in real time.

What ultrasound can help evaluate

Illustration of the heel bone and plantar fascia, showing where plantar fasciitis causes inflammation

Plantar fasciitis, by showing whether the plantar fascia is thickened
Tendon problems, such as Achilles tendinitis or a tendon tear
Ligament injuries
Morton's neuroma and other soft-tissue lumps
Cysts, such as ganglion cysts
Fluid or swelling around a joint

What to expect

A small amount of gel is put on the skin
A handheld probe is moved over the area
It is painless and uses no radiation
It usually takes just a few minutes

Because ultrasound uses no radiation, it can be repeated to follow how an injury is healing.

Call Now to Schedule Appointment

How ultrasound guides treatment

Seeing the soft tissue helps Dr. Marzano pinpoint what is causing your pain and choose the right treatment, such as shockwave therapy for chronic plantar fasciitis or protection for a tendon injury.

Ultrasound and X-ray work together: X-rays show the bones, and ultrasound shows the plantar fascia, tendons, ligaments and other soft tissue around them. Both are available in the office.

Find out what is causing your foot pain

With diagnostic ultrasound and X-ray in the office, Dr. Marzano can look at both bone and soft tissue during your visit. Patients throughout Scarsdale, White Plains, Bronxville and Westchester County trust Westchester Podiatric Medicine – Nerve & Wound Healing Institute.

Schedule Your Appointment