Things to know
To help alleviate your pain, a small local anaesthetic, most often with a steroid is injected into and around the joint and/or area causing your discomfort. This steroid will help reduce the inflammation and any associated swelling. Your referrer may ask for other injections such as Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) or Synvisc / Durolane which are also commonly used.
Musculoskeletal injection FAQs
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Please arrive early for your exam as you will be asked to complete a questionnaire.
It’s a good idea to dress in a separate top and bottoms, as this makes accessing the area we need access to easier.
We suggest you bring a friend along to drive you home after the appointment, or arrange to get a taxi home.
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MSK injections are performed using either a CT, ultrasound or fluoroscopy. The injection is delivered by one of our specialist radiologists.
Your radiographer will explain exactly what will happen during your procedure. It may vary slightly from what we describe below, so don’t worry if this is the case, you’ll always be in very good hands.
On entering the CT or ultrasound room, you will be introduced to the radiologist who will be administering the injection and the assistant - most commonly a nurse or radiographer. At Queensland X-Ray your MSK injection will always be performed by a doctor. You will be asked to lie or sit depending on the joint or area in question. We’ll clean the site with antiseptic before the injection and may administer a local anaesthetic to numb the area.
Our radiologist will then insert a needle using the imaging modality to help guide it into position. This is to ensure the needle is positioned correctly.
Some injections contain a steroid injection and long acting anaesthetic.
Throughout the procedure, the radiologist will talk to you about what they’re doing. If the procedure is carried out on a CT, the radiologist may leave the room and come back several times as they review the images on a screen outside of the room.
The injection takes a few minutes, during which time you may feel some minor pressure or discomfort. We will do our very best to keep this to a minimum and keep you comfortable.
The pain relief gained from this procedure can take a few weeks to work. It typically lasts between 3-6 months.
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The full procedure will last around 15 minutes. You will be unable to drive in the 24 hours following your procedure and will therefore need to organise for someone to drive you home.
How much will it cost?
Fees for radiology procedures will vary depending on a variety of factors. We will advise you about the cost of your service at the time of booking but if you do have any questions, contact us and one of our team will be happy to help with your query. You can read more about our billing information here.
How do I access my images?
At Queensland X-Ray, we provide our patients with their images and results online. To access your images and results, you’ll need to register for an account when you visit one of our practices. If you’ve already registered, you can access the Patient Portal here.