Ultrasound scans are carried out by a sonographer.The person who performs an ultrasound scan is called a sonographer, but the images are interpreted by radiologists, cardiologists, or other specialists.The sonographer usually holds a transducer, a hand-held device, like a wand, which is placed on the patient's skin.Ultrasound is sound that travels through soft tissue and fluids, but it bounces back, or echoes, off denser surfaces. This is how it creates an image.The term 'ultrasound' sound with a frequency that humans cannot hear.For diagnostic uses, the ultrasound is usually between (MHz).Higher frequencies provide better quality images but are more readily absorbed by the skin and other tissue, so they cannot penetrate as deeply as lower frequencies.Lower frequencies penetrate deeper, but the image quality is inferior. How does it capture an image?Ultrasound will travel through blood in the heart chamber, for example, but if it hits a heart valve, it will echo, or bounce back.It will travel straight through the gallbladder if there are no, but if there are stones, it will from them.The denser the object the ultrasound hits, the more of the ultrasound bounces back.This bouncing back, or echo, gives the ultrasound image its features. Varying shades of gray reflect different densities. Ultrasound transducersThe transducer, or wand, is normally placed on the surface of the patient's body, but some kinds are placed internally.These can provide clearer, more informative images.Examples are:. an endovaginal transducer, for use in the vagina. an endorectal transducer, for use in the rectum.
a transesophageal transducer, passed down the patient's throat for use in the esophagusSome very small transducers can be placed onto the end of a catheter and inserted into blood vessels to examine the walls of blood vessels. Ultrasound images are made from reflected sound, and a diagnosis can then be made.Ultrasound is for diagnosis, for treatment, and for guidance during procedures such as biopsies.It can be used to examine internal organs such as the liver and kidneys, the pancreas, the thyroid gland, the testes and the ovaries, and others.An ultrasound scan can reveal whether a lump is a.
This could be cancerous, or a fluid-filled.It can problems with soft tissues, muscles, blood vessels, tendons, and joints. It is used to investigate a, and others. Circulatory problemsDoppler ultrasound can assess the flow of blood in a vessel. It can determine the speed of the blood flow and any obstructions.An echocardiogram (ECG) is an example of Doppler ultrasound.
Ultrasound is commonly used in emergency medicine to assess various conditions,:. traumatic injuries. pericardial tamponade. fluid buildup around the heart. hemoperitoneum, or blood leakage in the abdomenAbdominal sonographyGastroenterologists use ultrasound to generate images of the spleen, kidneys, bile ducts, gall bladder, liver, aorta, inferior vena cava, pancreas, and other solid organs located in the abdomen.It can evaluate patients for suspected gallstones or, known as cholecystitis.It can detect if the appendix is swollen or inflamed, which would suggest.
Blood work would confirm an infection.Fat and gas in the bowel can sometimes block the ultrasound waves, making diagnosis more difficult. Newborn infantsThe sonographer can perform an ultrasound scan on a newborn by placing the probe on the fontanelle, the soft spot on the top of the skull.This can check for abnormalities in the brain, and periventricular leukomalacia, a form of white-matter brain injury.As the fontanelle grows smaller in time, the quality of the images becomes poorer. Obstetric ultrasonography Ultrasound devices emit a high-frequency sound from their wand and can be used to give an image of the inside of a person's body, for example, during pregnancy.Ultrasound is part of standard prenatal care. It gathers images of the fetus or embryo in the uterus.Obstetric ultrasonography can reveal various aspects of both fetal and maternal health. It can also help doctors assess the progress of the pregnancy.The probe or transducer is typically placed on the mother's abdomen, but sometimes it is placed in the vagina.A transvaginal scan can provide a clearer picture during early pregnancy, and it may be a better option if the mother has.Doppler sonography shows the fetal heartbeat. It can help the doctor detect signs of abnormalities in the heart and blood vessels. Ultrasound and urologyIn urology, ultrasound can check:.
how much urine remains in the bladder after urinating. the health of the organs in the pelvic region, including the uterus and testiclesIn young, adult males, ultrasound can distinguish different types of swelling from.Pelvic sonographies can be internal or external.In a male, the internal sonogram may be inserted into the rectum. In a female, it might be inserted into the vagina.This can provide information about the prostate gland, ovaries, or uterus.Ultrasound scans of the pelvic floor can help the doctor determine the extent of, for example, a pelvic prolapse, or obstructed defecation. Musculoskeletal sonographyUltrasound can be used to examine ligaments, bone surfaces, soft tissue masses, nerves, muscles, and tendons. An ultrasound can be done at a doctor's office, at an outpatient clinic, or in the hospital.Most scans take between.
It is not normally painful, and there is no noise.In most cases, no special preparation is needed, but patients may wish to wear loose-fitting and comfortable clothing.If the liver or gallbladder is affected, the patient may have to fast, or eat nothing, for several hours before the procedure.For a scan during pregnancy, and especially early pregnancy, the patient should drink plenty of water and try to avoid urinating for some time before the test.When the bladder is full, the scan produces a better image of the uterus.The scan usually takes place in the department of a hospital. A doctor or a specially-trained sonographer will carry out the test. External ultrasoundThe sonographer puts a lubricating gel onto the patient's skin and places a transducer over the lubricated skin.The transducer is moved over the part of the body that needs to be examined. Examples include ultrasound examinations of a patient's heart or a fetus in the uterus.The patient should not feel discomfort or pain. They will just feel the transducer over the skin.During pregnancy, there may be slight discomfort because of the full bladder.