[Ultrasonic diagnosis in orthopedics].

Ultrasonics in medicine and especially ultrasonics in orthopedics are an essential enrichment of our ways of making a diagnosis. The development of modern diagnosis instruments in addition to the systematic research of the skeletal system and soft tissues have made it possible that this method can now also be employed in the special field of orthopedics. That doesn't mean that other imaging methods should be given up but rather that this new way of imaging should be seen as a completion and a screening method for the other procedures. Because of the easiness of applying ultrasonics there is also the danger of overestimating the extent to which this method can be used and the danger of misinterpreting findings because of a lack of knowledge. Both risks should be kept in mind when using ultrasonics so that this harmless method doesn't became dangerous to the patients after all.