What is an Ultrasound?

 

What is an Ultrasound?

 

An ultrasound test is a diagnostic imaging technique, which is performed to view a patient’s internal organs and to assess his or her blood flow through various vessels. An ultrasound is also very useful when performed on a pregnant lady so an obstetrician can check on the developing baby. It does this with the help of high-frequency sound waves which have no adverse effect on the body.

Your average ultrasound machine or scanner will consist of a computer, a display screen and a transducer probe that is used to scan the body. The transducer is the small gadget that the Ultrasound technician will hold in his or her hand and that is attached to the scanner. This is the part of the Ultrasound scanner that is placed on top of the area of the body that needs to be scanned; the respective area will be lubricated with a special gel.

Ultrasound pictures work on exactly the same basis as the sonar that bats and submarines use to navigate. Since a controlled sound will reverberate against any object, its echo can be used to perceive the distance the respective object is at, its shape, size or even its density. When the transducer is pressed against the skin, it emits high-frequency sound waves into the body.

The sound waves echo from the body’s fluids, tissues and organs and are picked up by the transducer which record the tiny changes in the sound’s pitch and direction. These echoes are then instantly measured and displayed by the computer, which will also generate a real-time picture on the display screen for the technician and doctors to view.

Ultrasound images have proven to be a good method of guiding minimally invasive procedures and as a very useful diagnostic instrument in Obstetrics. Ultrasound scanner images are used to examine the body in order to detect problems with muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints and soft tissue. Ultrasound images will often demonstrate movement, function and anatomy, and will allow radiologists to analyze a multiplicity of conditions and assess damage after an injury or illness.

The Center for Diagnostic Imaging in Miami offers a variety of diagnostic tests such as ultrasounds, CT Scans, PET Scans, X-Rays and more. The Comprehensive Breast Care Center offers 3D mammograms, breast MRIs, and more. For more information contact us at 800.371.0002.