The Department of Radiology provides a full range of imaging services and image guided procedures for newborns, infants, children, teenagers, young adults and pregnant women at Texas Children's Hospital – Medical Center Campus in Houston. Many of our services are also available at our community hospital locations including Texas Children’s West Campus in Katy, Texas Children’s Hospital The Woodlands, and our satellite Specialty Care and Urgent Care Centers. This gives you the convenience of staying in a community suitable for you.
At all Texas Children’s Hospital locations you will have:
Nationally recognized board-certified radiologists and pediatric radiologists
Technologists trained in every aspect of adult and pediatric diagnostics
Patient and family centered precision imaging
Most up-to date, high-end imaging equipment which guarantees highest level of quality and safety
Intense collaboration between radiologists and treating physicians to guarantee best imaging options
Imaging protocols to assure the lowest radiation dose possible, without compromising diagnostic accuracy
MSK Injection Clinic
The MSK injection clinic is subspecialty care provided by pediatric musculoskeletal subspecialty trained radiologists. The MSK clinic is staffed by a pediatric focused care team composed of pediatric musculoskeletal radiologists, nurses, technologists, child life specialists, and anesthesiologists. As a rule of thumb, we perform all our procedures without sedation when the child is 10 years and older using various distraction devices and strategies with parent participation. Sometimes, light sedation and anxiolytic supplementation will be provided in children if necessary and as requested by your doctor. All procedures are performed under sterile technique in a dedicated procedure room.
In general, children younger than 10 years are performed with light sedation or anesthesia.
To order a study, please have your provider order through EPIC if they are a TCH provider. If they are an external provider, please have your provider complete the attached PDF form then email to mskradiology@texaschildrens.org. If the procedure you are interested is not listed below or you have additional questions about the procedure, please email mskradiology@texaschildrens.org, and someone will respond back to you within 1 business day.
Services provided:
Therapeutic anesthetic/steroid injections: US, x-ray, or CT guided needle placements are performed followed by anesthetic/steroid injections for joints, tendon sheaths, or bursa for sports medicine, cerebral palsy, rheumatologic or physiatry patients. Ropivicaine and Kenalog are our preferred agents.
Therapeutic steroid injections for juvenile idiopathic arthritis: US or x-ray guided steroid injections are performed only by referral from a rheumatologist. For injections of the hand, wrist, foot, or ankle, a limited non-contrast MRI will be performed beforehand to road map and identify joints and tendons that may be inflamed and require directed therapy. Our recommended medication dose sheet is listed below.
Diagnostic anesthetic/steroid injections: A diagnostic injection is performed to determine if a specific anatomic area is the site that is causing pain or discomfort. Pre- injection, post-injection, and 2-3 day follow-up pain scores are also generated and a radiology nurse will call you after the procedure. US, x-ray, or CT guided needle placements are performed followed by anesthetic/steroid injections for joints, tendon sheaths, or bursa for sports medicine, cerebral palsy, rheumatologic or physiatry patients. Ropivicaine and Kenalog are our preferred agents.
Arthrography prior to MRI: US or x-ray administration of diluted gadolinium is performed prior to MRI.
US guided ganglion cyst fenestration: Symptomatic ganglion cysts of the hand, wrist, ankle, or foot may be treated by non-sedated ganglion cyst fenestration with a small needle. This study is performed under ultrasound and is an alternative to surgical resection of symptomatic ganglion cysts. We will always perform a diagnostic US first to confirm the diagnosis of a ganglion cyst and rule out underlying mass or alternative diagnosis. There is a regimented aftercare procedure that needs to be followed requiring 4 weeks of non-athletic activity.
US guided PRP (platelet rich plasma) injection and US guided dry needling: PRP and dry needling of ligament, tendon, and muscle injuries is an alternative therapy and should only be considered if all non-operative options have been exhausted and your physician is now considering surgery to treat your injury. For PRP injections, a blood draw will performed and platelets will be extracted from your child’s blood, then injected to the injured body part under sterile conditions. Prior to your PRP injection, please do not take any non-steroidal medication 1 week before or 1 week after the procedure.
Therapeutic hyaluronic acid synthetic joint injections (only in patients 18 years and older): US or x-ray needle placement into your painful osteoarthritic joint is performed with injection of a synthetic hyaluronic acid derivative. Because the hyaluronic acid is viscous, a slightly larger needle is necessary to deliver the medication into your joint.
Texas Children's child life specialists can help you and your child prepare for a visit and ease fears about medical procedures. Our specialists explain procedures in a kid-friendly way and keep children calm through creative interventions including toys, music, and special breathing techniques.
Radiology at Texas Children’s Hospital recently began a new era of advanced image processing, further progressing our ability to provide the highest level of patient-centered care. Using new technologies, 3D printing allows diagnostic images to be translated into exact 3D replicas used by surgeons and other physicians as they prepare for surgery and explain procedures or anomalies to patient families.
