Private Hand Ultrasound Scan

Hand injuries and conditions affect the joints, tendons, ligaments, nerves, and soft tissues of the fingers and palm. Conditions can be acute — from sporting accidents, direct trauma, or forced movements — or chronic, developing through inflammatory arthritis, degenerative change, or repetitive overuse.

A private hand ultrasound is a quick, safe, pain-free diagnostic test using high-frequency sound waves to produce real-time images of the hand soft tissue structures. Common causes of hand and finger pain that ultrasound can identify include:

• Trigger finger — A1 pulley stenosis causing catching or locking during finger flexion
• Gamekeeper’s / Skier’s thumb — UCL tear at the thumb MCP joint; Stener lesion detection determines if surgery is needed
• Inflammatory arthritis — rheumatoid or psoriatic synovitis at MCP and PIP joints; Doppler pannus monitoring
• Flexor tendon tears — partial or complete FDS/FDP tears requiring urgent assessment for surgical timing
• Dupuytren’s contracture — palmar fascial cord mapping before needle fasciotomy or collagenase injection
• Glomus tumour — subungual vascular tumour; intense Doppler signal is diagnostic
• Osteoarthritis — DIP and PIP joint changes
• Digital nerve injuries — from lacerations or compression

A private hand ultrasound produces real-time images of all major hand soft tissue structures including:

• Flexor tendon pulleys (A1–A5) — thickening and stenosis at the A1 pulley (trigger finger); incompetence at A2/A4 (bowstringing in climbers)
• Flexor tendons (FDS & FDP) — tears, sheath tenosynovitis, and dynamic tendon excursion during finger movement
• UCL of the thumb MCP — partial vs complete tears; Stener lesion (displaced ligament end) identification
• MCP, PIP and DIP joints — effusion, synovitis, and Doppler active pannus in inflammatory arthritis
• Palmar fascia — Dupuytren’s cord extent, depth, and relationship to neurovascular bundles
• Digital nerves — nerve continuity, neuroma formation, and swelling after laceration or compression
• Soft tissue masses — ganglion cysts, glomus tumours, lipomas, and tendon sheath giant cell tumours

Serafini G et al. High-resolution sonography of the flexor tendons in trigger fingers before and after treatment. J Ultrasound Med 1996;15:213–9. | Lee JC et al. Ultrasound of the collateral ligaments of the metacarpophalangeal and interphalangeal joints. AJR 2004.

At London Private Ultrasound, a private hand ultrasound costs:

• One hand: £199 — all fees inclusive with no hidden charges
• Both hands: £299 — saving £99 compared to two separate single-hand scans

Both options include same-day verbal results and a full written report within 24 hours. We accept all major credit and debit cards, cash, and Klarna for flexible payment.

Yes. Ultrasound is the first-line investigation for trigger finger (stenosing tenosynovitis of the A1 flexor pulley). It can:

• Confirm the diagnosis: A1 pulley thickening above 1 mm is abnormal and indicates stenosis
• Demonstrate the flexor tendon nodule: A focal hypoechoic swelling on the tendon body at the level of the A1 pulley
• Detect tendon sheath fluid: Surrounding the tendon at the pulley level
• Show triggering in real time: Dynamic assessment during active finger flexion and extension demonstrates the tendon catching at the pulley — unique to ultrasound
• Guide injection precisely: Ultrasound-guided A1 pulley injection places corticosteroid directly into the tendon sheath at the pulley, avoiding the tendon body — significantly more accurate and safer than blind injection

Serafini G et al. High-resolution sonography of the flexor tendons in trigger fingers. J Ultrasound Med 1996;15:213–9.

Yes. Ultrasound is highly accurate for assessing UCL injuries at the thumb MCP joint and — critically — for identifying a Stener lesion. This distinction is clinically vital:

• Partial UCL tears: Focal hypoechogenicity and fibre disruption without full-thickness discontinuity. Most are managed conservatively with a thumb spica splint for 4–6 weeks
• Complete UCL tears without Stener lesion: Full-thickness discontinuity at the ligament origin or insertion. Surgical repair is generally recommended for young, active patients
• Stener lesion: The torn distal end of the UCL becomes displaced superficial to the adductor aponeurosis. This lesion cannot heal without surgery because the adductor aponeurosis physically prevents the ligament ends from approximating. Ultrasound detects the Stener lesion as a soft tissue mass superficial and proximal to the expected ligament position — a finding that mandates urgent surgical referral

Ultrasound is the investigation of choice for acute UCL injuries at the thumb MCP joint — providing this critical information immediately, at the same appointment, rather than waiting for MRI.

Yes. Power Doppler ultrasound of the hand is a key tool in rheumatology practice for assessing and monitoring inflammatory arthritis (rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis). It can:

• Detect synovitis: Hypoechoic joint effusion and synovial thickening at the MCP and PIP joints, which may be subclinical (not yet clinically swollen)
• Quantify active inflammation with Doppler: Vascularity within the synovium (pannus) on power Doppler indicates active inflammatory disease — a more sensitive and specific marker than clinical examination alone
• Monitor treatment response: Serial Doppler assessment tracks whether biological therapy, DMARDs, or corticosteroid injections are successfully suppressing disease activity
• Detect erosions: Early cortical bone erosions at the MCP joint margins, visible before they appear on plain X-ray

For patients with known RA or psoriatic arthritis, bilateral hand Doppler ultrasound (£299) provides a comprehensive disease activity assessment across all finger joints in a single appointment — a service that supports rheumatology treatment decisions.

See a doctor if you experience:

• A finger that catches or locks during bending or straightening
• Pain and swelling at the base of the thumb after a fall or sporting injury
• Swollen, painful finger joints — especially in the morning
• A lump on the palm or finger
• Restricted finger movement or grip weakness
• Numbness or altered sensation in one or more fingers

Seek urgent assessment if you have:

• A suspected flexor tendon injury — cut or forced extension on a bent finger. Surgical timing is critical; delay beyond 10–14 days significantly worsens repair outcomes. Call 020 7101 3377 for same-day urgent assessment
• A mallet finger (DIP joint drooping after a blow to the fingertip) — assess and splint within 6–8 weeks for best outcome
• Rapidly progressive hand swelling with heat and redness — possible septic arthritis or infective tenosynovitis requiring emergency hospital assessment

A hand ultrasound is a quick and easy way to diagnose many causes of hand and finger pain. There is no preparation required. We recommend removing all rings, finger jewellery, and bracelets before your appointment so the hand and fingers can be assessed without obstruction.

You will sit comfortably with your hand resting palm-up and then palm-down on the examination table. Your specialist applies a clear, water-based gel to the relevant areas and moves the probe gently over the skin surface — entirely painless. During the dynamic assessment, you will be asked to flex and extend your fingers to demonstrate tendons in motion, and stress tests may be applied to the thumb or finger joints to assess ligament integrity. The scan typically takes 20–30 minutes. Your specialist provides findings verbally immediately afterwards.

No significant preparation is required. You may eat, drink, and take medications normally. Remove all rings, watches, bracelets, and finger jewellery before your appointment. If you have a mallet finger or any splint in place, inform our team when booking so the specialist can plan around it appropriately.

There is no aftercare required. You may resume all normal activities immediately unless your specialist advises otherwise. There are no confirmed adverse biological effects on patients from diagnostic ultrasound.

Your specialist explains findings verbally immediately after the scan. Depending on results, they may recommend physiotherapy, splinting, activity modification, a guided injection, or urgent referral. If your scan identifies a finding requiring urgent NHS attention — for example, a complete flexor tendon tear requiring immediate surgical review, or a Stener lesion requiring urgent hand surgery — our specialist writes a formal referral letter the same day.

One hand (£199) is appropriate if symptoms affect one hand only — trigger finger, gamekeeper’s thumb, or a single joint condition.

Both hands (£299, saving £99) is recommended if you have:

• Inflammatory arthritis (RA or psoriatic) affecting both hands — bilateral Doppler synovitis monitoring is the standard for rheumatology assessment
• Trigger fingers in both hands — common in diabetic patients and those with inflammatory arthritis
• Bilateral Dupuytren’s contracture before intervention planning
• Occupational or sports screening requiring bilateral hand assessment

If you are unsure, call 020 7101 3377 and our team will advise based on your symptoms.

No. You do not require a referral. Book directly online at londonsono.com or call 020 7101 3377. Appointments are available 7 days a week at our Central London clinic (27 Welbeck Street, Harley Street medical district) and our St Albans clinic (54–56 Victoria Street).

Yes. Ultrasound guidance is particularly valuable for hand injections because the target structures — the A1 pulley, small finger joints (MCP, PIP, DIP), and tendon sheaths — are anatomically small and adjacent to important neurovascular structures. At London Private Ultrasound, our joint injection clinic offers ultrasound-guided:

• A1 pulley injection — for trigger finger; corticosteroid placed precisely within the tendon sheath at the pulley without injecting the tendon itself
• MCP joint injection — for RA/psoriatic arthritis synovitis or osteoarthritis
• PIP and DIP joint injection — for finger joint synovitis; these very small joints require ultrasound guidance for accurate needle placement
• Ganglion cyst aspiration — ultrasound-guided needle placement for accurate aspiration of digital or palmar ganglia

Injection therapy can often be arranged at the same appointment as your diagnostic scan.

Many of our patients are concerned that if they come to us for an ultrasound, they won’t be able to go back to public health. That simply is not the case. Our goal is to give you answers as quickly as possible and get you on the right treatment path fast — no strings attached.

When you come to us, you will be seen by a qualified MSK specialist who can assess your hand condition the same day. If your scan reveals findings requiring urgent NHS attention — for example, a complete flexor tendon tear requiring immediate surgical repair, a Stener lesion of the thumb, or findings consistent with inflammatory arthritis requiring urgent rheumatology assessment — our specialist writes a formal report the same day for your GP. We work alongside the NHS, not instead of it.