Private Hand and Wrist Ultrasound Scan

Hand and wrist injuries and conditions are common in athletes and the general population, and can affect joint structures including ligaments, joint surfaces, tendons, muscles, and nerves. These can happen in a short (acute) period — due to sudden traumatic events such as falls or joint sprains — or over a longer period (chronic), usually due to local repetitive microtrauma or as a consequence of an acute injury.

An ultrasound can be used to assess or confirm the extent of tissue damage and help choose between surgical or conservative treatment. Common causes of hand and wrist pain include:

• Carpal tunnel syndrome — median nerve compression under the flexor retinaculum
• De Quervain’s tenosynovitis — first extensor compartment tendon sheath inflammation at the radial styloid
• Trigger finger — A1 pulley stenosis causing catching or locking of a finger during flexion
• Ganglion cysts — the most common soft tissue mass in the hand and wrist
• Sprains and strains — ligament injuries from trauma
• Arthritis — osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, or other inflammatory joint disease
• Tendinitis and tenosynovitis — tendon inflammation or sheath inflammation
• Overuse injuries — common in musicians, office workers, and manual workers

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

• Median nerve at the carpal tunnel — cross-sectional area measurement and morphology for CTS diagnosis
• First extensor compartment tendons — De Quervain’s: tendon sheath thickening, fluid, and septation
• Flexor tendons and pulleys — trigger finger: A1 pulley thickening, tendon nodule, sheath fluid
• Ganglion cysts — size, location, internal characteristics, and aspiration guidance
• TFCC — peripheral triangular fibrocartilage complex tears
• MCP, PIP, DIP joints — effusion, synovitis, Doppler active pannus (inflammatory arthritis monitoring)
• Scapholunate ligament — dorsal band assessment and dynamic stress testing
• UCL of the thumb — partial vs complete tears, Stener lesion detection
• Ulnar nerve at Guyon’s canal — nerve CSA and compressive pathology

Fowler JR et al. Ultrasound as a first-line test in the diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome: a cost-effectiveness analysis. Clin Orthop Relat Res 2013;471:932–7. | Klauser AS et al. Carpal tunnel syndrome assessment with US: value of additional cross-sectional area measurements. Radiology 2009;250:171–7.

At London Private Ultrasound, a private hand and wrist ultrasound costs:

• One arm (hand + wrist, one side): £299 — all fees inclusive with no hidden charges
• Both arms (bilateral hand + wrist): £499 — saving £99 compared to two separate single-arm 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 a validated first-line investigation for carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) — the most common peripheral nerve entrapment, affecting approximately 3–6% of adults. Ultrasound can:

• Measure median nerve cross-sectional area (CSA): Enlargement above 10 mm² at the carpal tunnel inlet is a reliable marker of compression neuropathy. This is a highly reproducible, quantitative measurement
• Detect structural causes: Ganglia, lipomas, anomalous muscles, or bony prominences compressing the nerve
• Guide injection therapy: Ultrasound-guided corticosteroid injection into the carpal tunnel is significantly more accurate than landmark injection and reduces the risk of median nerve injury

Symptoms of CTS include numbness, tingling, or pain in the thumb, index, middle, and radial ring fingers — particularly at night or when holding objects. If CTS is confirmed and symptoms are severe or persistent, your specialist will discuss surgical versus injection options.

Fowler JR et al. Ultrasound as a first-line test for CTS: a cost-effectiveness analysis. Clin Orthop Relat Res 2013. | Klauser AS et al. Radiology 2009;250:171–7.

De Quervain’s tenosynovitis: Yes. Ultrasound is the first-line investigation for De Quervain’s. It identifies thickening and fluid within the first extensor compartment tendon sheath (containing the APL and EPB tendons at the radial styloid), confirms the diagnosis, and guides corticosteroid injection directly into the tendon sheath — dramatically improving accuracy compared to palpation-guided injection.

Trigger finger: Yes. Ultrasound detects A1 pulley thickening, a nodule on the flexor tendon, and fluid within the tendon sheath — the structural correlates of triggering. Dynamic assessment during active finger flexion and extension directly demonstrates the snapping phenomenon in real time. Ultrasound-guided A1 pulley injection is significantly more accurate than blind injection.

Jeyapalan K, Choudhary S. Ultrasound-guided injection for De Quervain’s disease. Skeletal Radiol 2009;38:1099–103. | Serafini G et al. High-resolution sonography of the flexor tendons in trigger fingers. J Ultrasound Med 2996;15:213–9.

Since pain around the hand and wrist can have so many causes, an ultrasound can be valuable in providing an accurate diagnosis. See a doctor if you experience:

• Ongoing hand aches or wrist aches
• Pain around the hand or wrist muscles and tendons
• Muscle weakness in the hand or grip
• Restricted wrist or finger movement
• Clicking, locking, or catching of a finger during movement
• Numbness or tingling in the fingers — especially at night or when using your hand

Ask to be seen urgently if you have:

• Wrist or hand swelling after trauma
• A lump or bump in the hand or wrist
• Numbness and weakness that is getting worse
• Heat or redness around a joint — this may indicate infection or an acute inflammatory flare
• Inability to extend a finger after a forced flexion injury (possible mallet finger)

In many cases, hand and wrist aches have benign causes and improve with rest. If there is no improvement after a few weeks, book a scan. For suspected infection or acute injury with deformity, seek immediate medical assessment.

A hand and wrist ultrasound is a quick and easy way to diagnose many causes of hand and wrist pain. There is no preparation required. All we suggest is that you wear loose, comfortable clothing so you can expose your hand and wrist for the scan. Leave jewellery at home.

You will be asked to sit comfortably on the examination chair. Your specialist applies a clear, water-based gel to the hand and wrist. The ultrasound probe moves gently over the skin surface — the scan is entirely painless. During the dynamic assessment, you will be asked to flex, extend, and rotate your wrist and move your fingers to demonstrate tendons and any structural abnormalities in motion. The scan typically takes 20–30 minutes. Your specialist provides a verbal explanation of findings immediately afterwards.

No significant preparation is required. You may eat, drink, and take medications normally. Wear loose clothing or short sleeves so your hand and wrist are easily accessible. Remove all hand, wrist, and finger jewellery before your appointment. You do not need to fast or stop any medications for this scan.

There is no aftercare required. You may resume all normal activities immediately. There are no confirmed adverse biological effects on patients caused by diagnostic ultrasound.

Your specialist will explain findings immediately after the scan. Depending on the findings, they may recommend physiotherapy, activity modification, splinting, a guided injection, or further imaging (such as MRI for suspected TFCC central tears or scapholunate ligament injuries). A comprehensive written report is securely emailed to you the same day or within 24 hours.

One arm (£299) is appropriate if symptoms affect one hand or wrist only.

Both arms (£499, saving £99) is recommended if you have:

• Pain or symptoms in both hands or wrists — bilateral CTS is very common
• Bilateral De Quervain’s, common in new mothers and those using repetitive pinch grips
• Inflammatory arthritis affecting both hands (RA, psoriatic) — monitoring disease activity bilaterally
• Pre-surgical comparison of both hands or wrists
• Occupational health or rheumatology screening requiring bilateral upper limb assessment

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

No. You do not require a referral before booking. 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). This is a major advantage over our competitor Harley Street Ultrasound, which is closed on Sundays.

Yes. Ultrasound guidance significantly improves injection accuracy for all hand and wrist injections — particularly for small structures such as the carpal tunnel, A1 pulley, and De Quervain’s tendon sheath, where needle placement by palpation alone is difficult and risks nerve or tendon injury. At London Private Ultrasound, our joint injection clinic offers ultrasound-guided:

• Carpal tunnel corticosteroid injection — for CTS symptom relief
• De Quervain’s tendon sheath injection — corticosteroid, directly into the 1st compartment
• A1 pulley injection — for trigger finger, corticosteroid precisely placed
• Wrist joint injection — for inflammatory arthritis, osteoarthritis, or TFCC-related pain
• Ganglion cyst aspiration — ultrasound-guided needle placement for accurate aspiration
• MCP/PIP joint injection — for inflammatory arthritis, guided precisely to the small joint

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 and wrist condition the same day. If your situation is serious — for example, if your scan reveals findings consistent with an inflammatory arthritis flare requiring urgent rheumatology review, or a complete tendon tear requiring surgical repair — our specialist will write a formal report to your GP advising they need an urgent NHS appointment. We work alongside the NHS, not instead of it.