Diagnosis
To diagnose a ganglion cyst, the foot and ankle surgeon will perform a thorough examination of the foot. The lump will be visually apparent and, when pressed in a certain way, it should move freely underneath the skin.
Sometimes the surgeon will shine a light through the cyst or remove a small amount of fluid from the cyst for evaluation. Your doctor may take an x-ray, and in some cases additional imaging studies (MRI) and ana a possible biopsy may be ordered.
X-Ray MRI
A diagnostic ultrasound can help diagnose a ganglion cyst
An aspiration can be done to diagnose a ganglion cyst
A sugical removal with biopsy can be done to determine if the patient has a ganglion cyst