Ultrasound
An ultrasound is a fast, painless imaging technique that produces images of the internal organs through the use of high-frequency sound waves. Also known as a sonogram, this diagnostic test can be used to help a doctor diagnose many different health conditions or even evaluate a pregnancy.
Reasons for an Ultrasound
An ultrasound can be used to monitor and diagnose a wide range of conditions within nearly any system of the body. This test may be performed on patients experiencing pain, swelling or infection in a certain area of the body.
The images produced by an ultrasound can help a doctor:
- Assess a breast lump
- Diagnose gallbladder disease, some infections, some cancers
- Reveal abnormalities of the muscles
- Evaluate the heart
- Assess the thyroid gland
- Guide a needle during a biopsy
- Check blood flow
- Obtain images of a fetus
Ultrasounds, however, are not the ideal imaging test to view organs surrounded by bones, as sound waves cannot travel through bone. A different imaging test, such as CT scan, should be used for such cases.
The Benefits of an Ultrasound
An ultrasound is a noninvasive, simple procedure that can produce images of the soft tissues, which often do not show up well on X-rays. There is no ionizing radiation used during this procedure and no serious side effects.
The Ultrasound Procedure
Preparing for an ultrasound varies, depending on the objective of the imaging. While many ultrasounds require no preparation whatsoever, some may require fasting for six hours before the test. In addition, patients undergoing an ultrasound of their uterus, ovaries or prostate are required to arrive with a full bladder, as this enables the organs to be viewed more easily.
On the day of the ultrasound, the patient should arrive wearing comfortable, loose-fitting clothing. In some cases, depending on what part of the body is being evaluated, the patient may be asked to change into a gown.
When the procedure begins, the patient lies down on an examination table, and gel is applied to skin at the area to be imaged. The technician then moves a transducer, a special hand-held device, across this area. The transducer enables sound waves to be transmitted back and forth between the body and the device, which immediately relays this information to a monitor.
In some cases, this procedure may involve attaching the transducer to a probe and inserting it into an opening in the body, as in a transrectal or transvaginal ultrasound.
An ultrasound is typically painless, although patients may experience slight discomfort. Results are usually available a few days later. The exam usually takes from 30 minutes to one hour to complete.