An ultrasound scan is a form of medical test that normally uses high-frequency sound waves to help capture live images from the inside of your body. Another term used to refer to it is Sonography.
The technology used in an ultrasound is similar to that of sonar and radar. That technology is what enables the military to detect planes and ships. An ultrasound basically helps your doctor to identify and see the problems with your organs, tissues and vessels without having to make any invasive incisions.
Ultrasound is unlike any other high tech radiology imaging technique since it does not use radiation. This is the main reason why it is the preferred method for viewing a fetus that is undergoing development during pregnancy.
Further Definitions:
Ultrasound is in other words a form of imaging in real time that is currently used more frequently to image and inject various injuries related to the certain body parts such as; shoulder, hip, tendons and knee. However, ultrasound is not only used for monitoring the progress of a pregnancy. It also contains ultrasound machines that are smaller and are usually readily available to be used to do many more things in the doctor’s office with advanced technology.
Using high frequency sound waves, an ultrasound produces real-time, dynamic images of the body right in the clinic. A gel is applied to the skin and then a hand-held ultrasound probe is scanned along the body part being examined. This usually produces images of bone, blood vessels, nerves and soft tissue structures (inclusive of muscles and tendons). The result is more often than not used as part of an exam to help in identifying injuries and sources of pain. Ultrasound, unlike an X-ray which displays only the bone structure, emits no radiation. This basically means that risk to the patient is virtually non-existent.
Ultrasound is more often than not utilized to improve the accuracy of injections to joints, muscles and tendons. Basically, injections can be both diagnostic and therapeutic. Even if it is in expert hands, blind injections are usually not 100% accurate. Therefore, depending on the location in the body, some “blind” injections can have chances that are as low as 30-40% accurate. Using an ultrasound in this case is usually the best solution, since the physician can easily visualize the needle as it penetrates the skin and traverses into the desired location.
On the other hand, ultrasound guided injections have a 90-100% accuracy. These injections are more often than not less painful to receive, since there is an ease and speed of locating the correct location as compared to the “blind” injections.
Another benefit of using ultrasound is that it has dynamic and real-time feedback in the process of scanning or injecting the body part being treated. Usually with MRI and CT scans, a patient has to remain immobile for about 5-45 minutes. That is totally dependent on the body part that is being imaged. When using an ultrasound however, the joint or muscle can be moved and touched during the imaging process. This further helps to better pinpoint the diagnosis in real time.
What is the Purpose of ultrasound?
Ultrasound scans are mostly, if not always, associated with pregnancy. Reason being, ultrasound scans are capable of providing an expectant mother with the first view of her unborn child. Apart from that, ultrasound has several other uses. Your doctor may be able to perform an ultrasound on you if you are having pain, swelling, or any other symptoms that require an internal examination of your organs. An ultrasound is basically able to provide a view of the following body organs; bladder, brain (in infants), eyes, gallbladder, kidneys, liver, pancreas, spleen, thyroid, testicles, uterus as well as blood vessels
The other purpose of an ultrasound is to guide the surgeons’ movements during certain medical procedures for example in conducting biopsies.
How do You Prepare for an Ultrasound
The steps that it takes to prepare for an ultrasound are dependent on the area or organ being examined. You may be required to fast for about eight to twelve hours before your ultrasound. This is most especially for the case where your abdomen is the part being examined. The reason for fasting during this period is that undigested food can block the sound waves, which will make it difficult for the technician to get a clear picture of the condition of your abdomen.
You will be required to eat a fat-free meal the evening before your test if the examination is to be done on your liver, pancreas, gallbladder or spleen. Fast until the procedure is also a requirement at this point. Drinking water and taking medications as instructed is the only exception. For other examinations, you may be required to drink a lot of water and then hold your urine so that your bladder is full and so that it can be better visualized.
Ensure that you tell your doctor about any prescription drugs or over-the-counter medications. Herbal supplements that you take should also be discussed before the exam. Before the procedure begins, it is important to follow your doctor’s instructions. Also ask any questions you may have before the procedure takes place.
What is ultrasound used for?
Ultrasound is typically known for confirming and monitoring pregnancy. Other uses of ultrasound include:
1. Diagnostics
Doctors use ultrasound imaging in diagnosing conditions that may be affecting the organs and soft tissues of the body. That includes: abdomen, liver, kidneys, heart, blood vessels, gallbladder, thyroid, bladder, breast, ovaries, testicles, pancreas, spleen and eyes. There are usually some diagnostic limitations for ultrasounds. For example, sound waves do not transmit well through areas that might hold gas or air (such as intestines), or areas blocked by dense bone.
2. Medical procedures
When a doctor needs to remove tissue from a specific area in the body, ultrasound imaging can easily help with visual direction.
3. Therapeutic application
Ultrasound is also used in the detection and treatment of certain soft-tissue injuries.
Conclusion
Although the words ultrasound and sonogram are often used interchangeably, ultrasound is used to define the procedure of using sound waves to create images from inside the body. Sonogram on the other hand refers to the image produced by an ultrasound examination.
Ultrasound is among the safest and the most affordable imaging technology that helps doctors make a diagnosis regarding soft tissue and organs in the body.
