Blog June 14, 2026
Do Korean Medicine Clinics Use Ultrasound Too?
Jang-Hyuk Choi, KMD
Head Doctor
🧾 Answer First | Key Conclusion
"Do Korean medicine clinics use ultrasound?"
This is a question we have consistently received over the past 10 years.
On December 22, 2022, the Supreme Court confirmed that Korean medicine practitioners' use of ultrasound diagnostic devices is legal.
On June 18, 2024, the case was finally confirmed with the rejection of the appeal.
However, our clinic has been utilizing ultrasound for research purposes long before that.
Now we can confidently say this.
Yes, Korean medicine clinics do use ultrasound.
And this tool helps increase the accuracy of Korean medicine treatment.
🧠 The Why | Why Do Korean Medicine Practitioners Need Ultrasound
Many people think that Korean medicine only involves pulse diagnosis (脈診).
Of course, pulse diagnosis is the core of Korean medicine diagnosis.
However, especially in acupuncture treatment, ultrasound provides more help than expected.
In the past, we relied on physical examination and palpation
and there were cases of vague diagnosis and prognosis judgment.
What has changed with ultrasound use is that we can now show patients visually
"this is where the problem is."
It has become easier to explain to patients, and we can now confirm changes before and after treatment together.
📊 Proof | 10 Years of Clinical Experience
📌Use in Acupuncture Treatment
There are particular treatments where it is especially helpful.
✔ Heated Acupuncture (Hwachim)
✔ Knife Needle (Dochim)
✔ Thread Embedding Therapy (Maeseon)
Although these treatments are non-invasive,
they represent a more aggressive approach than general acupuncture.
They are effective when performed at the precise location and exact depth,
and may have reduced effectiveness or cause unnecessary stimulation if performed at the wrong location.
With ultrasound, we can determine the treatment location while in real-time confirming
the condition of deep ligaments, fascia, and tendons.
📌Things Difficult to Find with Pulse Diagnosis Alone
Not everything can be found with Korean medicine pulse diagnosis.
By using ultrasound and blood tests together,
there have been several cases where we changed the direction of prescriptions.
Case 1. Starvation Dieting and Gallstones
A female patient in her 20s on a diet. Blood tests were normal.
However, through inquiry and pulse diagnosis, there appeared to be an issue with the gallbladder or liver.
Ultrasound revealed chronic cholecystitis caused by gallstones.
Upon inquiry, the patient had done much starvation dieting before.
→ After changing to a prescription related to chronic cholecystitis and treating that area first, we proceeded with the diet.
Case 2. Reason for Weight Loss Plateau - Thyroid
Among diet patients, sometimes weight won't decrease no matter what.
We discovered hypothyroidism through in-house blood tests and thyroid ultrasound.
→ After changing to a prescription related to hypothyroidism and treating it first, we proceeded with the diet.
Case 3. Reason for Weight Loss Plateau - Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
Similarly in diet cases that won't work. The patient had irregular periods together,
so we confirmed polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) through in-house blood tests and ultrasound.
→ After changing to a prescription related to irregular periods and treating the irregular periods first, we proceeded with the diet.
If we had judged only by pulse diagnosis and inquiry,
we might have prescribed the wrong treatment for these patients, creating difficulty for both patient and doctor.
🚨 Warning | What You Must Know
Ultrasound is an "auxiliary tool" in Korean medicine diagnosis.
This is similar to AI.
Just as AI, no matter how advanced, cannot replace a doctor's judgment,
ultrasound images do not replace a Korean medicine practitioner's diagnosis.
During 10 years of ultrasound use, we have encountered many cases.
✔ Cases where ultrasound shows no problem no matter how much we look, but pain is severe
✔ Conversely, cases where structural problems appear severe on imaging but pain is mild
Judgment can be mistaken if looking at images alone.
Pain is not fully captured in images.
Therefore, the Korean medicine practitioner is the subject of diagnosis, and ultrasound is a tool to aid that diagnosis.
Ultimately, Korean medicine examination - directly observing, listening to, and examining the patient - comes first,
and ultrasound serves to confirm and explain that diagnosis.
No matter how good the tool, the experience and judgment of the person using the tool is key.
🔚 Closing | Conclusion
"Do Korean medicine clinics use ultrasound?"
Now we can answer this question with confidence.
Yes, we do.
The combination of traditional Korean medicine diagnosis and modern imaging tools.
This is the experience our clinic has built over 10 years.
✍️ Reviewed by Director Choi Jang-hyuk, Dongjae-dang Korean Medicine Clinic
❓ FAQ
Q. Is ultrasound at a Korean medicine clinic different from hospital ultrasound?
The equipment itself is identical.
However, Korean medicine clinics primarily use it for the musculoskeletal system (muscles, ligaments, tendons) and to check abdominal organs,
and interpret it together with Korean medicine diagnosis. When necessary, we recommend upper-level hospital testing.
Q. If ultrasound results are normal, does that mean it's not painful?
No. Pain can exist even if problems don't appear on imaging.
Functional problems, fascia tension, and autonomic nervous system abnormalities don't show up well on ultrasound.
That is why we make judgments together with Korean medicine examination.
Q. Do I have to get an ultrasound before acupuncture?
General acupuncture treatment is possible without ultrasound.
However, for precision procedures such as knife needle, heated acupuncture, and thread embedding, or when deep tissue treatment is needed,
we confirm the location with ultrasound and perform the procedure.
Q. Why is ultrasound used when receiving a diet herbal medicine prescription?
The reason for weight loss plateau may not simply be diet or exercise related.
There can be hidden conditions such as thyroid dysfunction, polycystic ovary syndrome, or gallbladder problems.
In such cases, the prescription direction changes completely, so we check ultrasound and blood tests together when necessary.
Q. How long does an ultrasound examination take?
It varies depending on the area, but usually takes about 5-10 minutes.
After the examination, we explain while showing the images immediately, so you can visually confirm your condition directly.
Q. Is it really legal for Korean medicine practitioners to read ultrasound?
Yes, it is legal. It was confirmed by the Supreme Court's full bench ruling on December 22, 2022,
and was finally confirmed with the rejection of appeal on June 18, 2024.
Our clinic has been utilizing it for research purposes for 10 years prior to that.
📚 Reference Materials
[Legal]
Supreme Court Full Bench Ruling on December 22, 2022 - Confirmed legality of Korean medicine practitioners' use of ultrasound diagnostic devices
Supreme Court Rejection of Appeal on June 18, 2024 - Final confirmation
