Ultrasound
WHAT IS GENERAL ULTRASOUND IMAGING?
Ultrasound (US) imaging, also called ultrasound
scanning or sonography, is a method of "seeing" inside
the human body through the use of high-frequency sound waves.
The sound waves are recorded and displayed as a real-time visual
image. No radiation is involved.
US is a useful way of examining
many of the body's internal organs, including the heart, liver,
gallbladder, spleen, pancreas, kidneys and bladder. Because
US images are captured in real-time, they can show movement
of internal tissues and organs and enable physicians to see
blood flow.
WHAT ARE SOME COMMON
USES OF ULTRASOUND IMAGING?
Millions of expectant parents
have seen the first "picture" of their unborn child
with pelvic ultrasound examinations of the uterus and fetus.
Ultrasound imaging is used extensively for evaluating pelvic
and abdominal organs, and blood vessels, and can help a physician
determine the source of pain, swelling, or infection in many
parts of the body. Because US provides real time images, it
can also be used to guide procedures such as needle biopsies,
in which a needle is used to sample cells from an organ for
laboratory testing.
Doppler ultrasound is a special
technique used to examine blood flow. Doppler images can help
the physician to see and evaluate; blockages to blood flow,
such as clots; build-up of plaque inside blood vessels and congenital
vascular malformations.
HOW DOES US IMAGING
WORK?
As the sound passes through
the body, echoes are produced that can be used to identify how
far away an object is, how large it is, and how uniform it is.
The ultrasound transducer functions as both a generator of sound
(like a speaker) and a detector of sound (like a microphone).
When the transducer is pressed against the skin, it directs
inaudible, high-frequency sound waves into the body. As the
sound echoes from the body's fluids and tissues, the transducer
records tiny changes in the pitch and direction of the sound.
These echoes are instantly measured and displayed by a computer,
which in turn, creates a real-time picture on the monitor. The
live images of the examination are usually recorded on a computer
system for evaluation by the radiologist.
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© 2003-2007 Hazleton Radiology Associates.
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