Why do people get sonograms

This procedure requires little to no special preparation. Your doctor will tell you how to prepare, including whether you should not eat or drink beforehand. Leave jewelry at home and wear loose, comfortable clothing.

You may need to change into a gown. Conventional ultrasound displays the images in thin, flat sections of the body. Advancements in ultrasound technology include three-dimensional 3-D ultrasound that formats the sound wave data into 3-D images.

Doppler ultrasound is a special ultrasound technique that evaluates movement of materials in the body. It allows the doctor to see and evaluate blood flow through arteries and veins in the body. Ultrasound exams can help diagnose a variety of conditions and assess organ damage following illness. Ultrasound is a useful way of examining many of the body's internal organs, including but not limited to the:.

With knowledge about the speed and volume of blood flow gained from a Doppler ultrasound image, the doctor can often determine whether a patient is a good candidate for a procedure like angioplasty.

Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing. You may need to remove all clothing and jewelry in the area to be examined. Preparation for the procedure will depend on the type of exam you will have. For some scans, your doctor may tell you not to eat or drink for up to 12 hours before your exam. This timeframe is lower for babies and young children. For others, the doctor may ask you to drink up to six glasses of water two hours prior to your exam and avoid urinating.

This will ensure your bladder is full when the scan begins. Ultrasound machines consist of a computer console, video monitor and an attached transducer. The transducer is a small hand-held device that resembles a microphone. Some exams may use different transducers with different capabilities during a single exam. The transducer sends out inaudible, high-frequency sound waves into the body and listens for the returning echoes.

The same principles apply to sonar used by boats and submarines. The technologist applies a small amount of gel to the area under examination and places the transducer there. The gel allows sound waves to travel back and forth between the transducer and the area under examination. The ultrasound image is immediately visible on a video monitor. The computer creates the image based on the loudness amplitude , pitch frequency , and time it takes for the ultrasound signal to return to the transducer.

Ultrasound imaging uses the same principles as the sonar that bats, ships, and fishermen use. When a sound wave strikes an object, it bounces back or echoes. By measuring these echo waves, it is possible to determine how far away the object is as well as its size, shape, and consistency. This includes whether the object is solid or filled with fluid. Doctors use ultrasound to detect changes in the appearance of organs, tissues, and vessels and to detect abnormal masses, such as tumors.

In an ultrasound exam, a transducer both sends the sound waves and records the echoing returning waves. When the transducer is pressed against the skin, it sends small pulses of inaudible, high-frequency sound waves into the body. As the sound waves bounce off internal organs, fluids and tissues, the sensitive receiver in the transducer records tiny changes in the sound's pitch and direction.

Medical professionals request ultrasound tests for conditions related to abdominal issues, obstetrics, urology, circulation, the musculoskeletal system and more. An ultrasound can create images of body parts such as:.

An ultrasound can help with the diagnosis of multiple conditions related to your tissues or organs. Doctors use ultrasounds to diagnose conditions such as:. Patients commonly ask if ultrasounds can show stomach ulcers. Ultrasound technology cannot find ulcers, but other types of diagnostic tests can. An ultrasound has many uses in the medical world. Doctors may order an ultrasound to check for swollen, damaged or infected organs if a patient is experiencing pain or other symptoms.

An ultrasound is a safe, quick way for doctors to check the condition of many organs in the body, such as the:. An ultrasound may also be used to assess fetal health or to safely and effectively check the brain, hips and spine in infants. Doctors sometimes use ultrasound technology during biopsies as well. Different types of ultrasounds serve different purposes. For example, a Doppler ultrasound is an ultrasound test that captures blood flow through the veins. An echocardiogram is an ultrasound used to diagnose a range of heart conditions and evaluate tissue damage after a heart attack.

As you can see, ultrasound technology is highly versatile and useful in diagnosing, treating and monitoring a vast range of conditions. The easiest way to remember the difference between a sonogram and an ultrasound is to keep in mind that the ultrasound is the procedure, and the sonogram is the result.

First, it should come as no surprise that a wide range of abdominal issues can be diagnosed with the help of ultrasound technology. The images it creates let your doctor see your kidneys, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, spleen, and the blood vessels in your abdomen. Also, new ultrasound technology makes it easier to get abdominal images when someone is obese or difficult to scan for other reasons.

Finally, remember that womens healthcare professionals, OBGYN specialists, and general health practitioners may recommend an ultrasound when a biopsy is necessary. This means that a tissue sample is taken and examined underneath a microscope. In this sense, the ultrasound acts as a guide and can help the doctor determine where the best place for a tissue sample is. Ultimately, these are some other common reasons patients get ultrasounds. About 6. For more information about womens health care, contact WomanCare PC.