Ultrasound Diagnosis

Ultrasound imaging is a widely used diagnostic medical procedure that utilizes high-frequency sound waves to produce images (sonograms) of internal organs of our body. Ultrasound is a noninvasive, no penetration into skin or body, diagnostic tool used to determine any abnormality in the anatomy or functioning of the body parts.

Purpose

Ultrasonography is widely used in medicine. It is possible to perform both diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, using ultrasound.

Diagnostic Uses

Obstetrics – It is used to view the uterus and identify fetal abnormalities.

Cardiology – Echocardiography is used to evaluate the heart and its function, and the blood flow through heart valves.

Abdominal structures – Ultrasound can evaluate most of the solid structures in the abdominal cavity. This includes the liver, gallbladder, pancreas, kidneys, bladder, prostate, testicles, uterus, and ovaries.

The neck – The thyroid gland can be imaged using ultrasound looking for nodules, growths, or tumors.

Therapeutic Uses

Ultrasound can be used to guide doctors during surgical procedures, such as in biopsies (where a tissue sample is taken for analysis), to confirm they are working in the right area.

In situations where it is difficult to find a vein, ultrasound guidance may be used to identify larger veins in the neck, chest wall, or groin.

Preparation for an Ultrasound scan

Preparation of patient for ultrasound depends on the purpose of method.

No special preparation is needed for a routine ultrasound scan.

For a liver or gallbladder scan, the patient will be instructed to avoid eating for six to eight hours before the test.

For a scan in early pregnancy, it is recommended to drink several glasses of water and not to pass urine for one to two hours before the test because a full bladder improves the view of the uterus.

Procedure

You will be asked to lie down on a bed or table for the scan. A small hand-held probe called a transducer is placed on your skin, and moved over the part of the body to be examined. A special lubricating gel is applied to your skin to help the transducer move smoothly and ensure continuous contact between the sensor and the skin. The transducer is connected to a computer where you will be able to watch the scanned images. Ultrasound pulses are sent from the probe into your body and these ultrasound waves bounce back from the structures of your body and displayed as an image on the computer monitor.