13 ISSN 1758-1869 10.2217/PMT.13.70 © 2014 Future Medicine Ltd Pain Manage. (2014) 4(1), 13–15 Traditionally, fluoroscopy and computed tomography (CT) have been the two common imaging modalities used for interventional pain procedures. A decade ago, ultrasound emerged as a popular choice for pain intervention, as evident by the rapid growth of literature and workshops in this field [1]. Ultrasound imaging offers many advantages over fluoroscopy and CT because of its affordability, portability, absence of radiation, and independence of infrastructure and facilities. It also allows visualization of target structures, soft tissues and real-time guidance for injection [2]. However, ultrasound has it own limitations: an inability to reveal structures beyond the bone window and poor reliability for deep structure imaging. In general, ultrasound for pain interventions can be divided according to the following target structures: peripheral, axial and musculoskeletal [2]. Examples of these interventions will be discussed below. The most notable example for peripheral structure is cervical sympathetic trunk (CST) block [3]. Commonly described as stellate ganglion block, CST block is typically performed with landmark-based or fluoroscopy-guided techniques. The targets are either the anterior tubercle or transverse process at C6–7 level. There are two reasons why ultrasound has become the technique of choice [1,3]. First, CST is defined by the fascial plane (prevertebral fascia), which ultrasound, not fluoro scopy, can visualize. Second, in older techniques the needle is inserted between the trachea and carotid artery. Recent literature suggested a high prevalence of esophagus and vessels in this region [4,5]. Ultrasound imaging allows the visualization and avoidance of these important structures and enables a ‘lateral’ approach to the CST [3]. Large randomized controlled trials are required to confirm the safety, accuracy and outcome over conventional techniques. Another example is meralgia paresthetica, which is a painful mononeuropathy of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve. Anesthesiologists are commonly involved in the management of these patients. The success rate of the traditional landmark-based technique is notoriously poor because of the huge anatomical variation of the nerve [6]. Ultrasound allows visualization of the nerve. A comparison