What is an Ultrasound?
An ultrasound, also referred to as sonography or diagnostic medical sonography, is a form of medical imaging that produces images of structures in your body through high-frequency sound waves. An ultrasound can help doctors diagnose and treat a variety of different health conditions and diseases. Examinations with an ultrasound device are typically done outside of the body, but some tests require placing the device inside your body. University Park OBGYN is here to better understand what is an ultrasound, ultrasound preparations, what you can expect at the ultrasound clinic, limitations of ultrasound, risks of ultrasound, and more!
Different Kinds of Ultrasound
Conventional ultrasound devices show doctors images in flat, thin sections of the body, while devices such as doppler ultrasounds can allow your doctor to view and evaluate blood flow in the body through veins and arteries. These 3-D studies became possible due to advancements in ultrasound technology. A Doppler ultrasound study may be conducted as part of an ultrasound examination. These 3-D studies became possible due to advancements in ultrasound technology. The three types of Dopper ultrasounds include:
Color Doppler – Doppler measurements are converted into various colors via a computer, showing the direction and speed of blood flow through blood vessels.
Power Doppler – provides more details about blood flow, even when blood flow is limited, making this newer technique more sensitive than a color Doppler. However, this may not help a radiologist determine the direction of blood flow, making the test less useful in some situations.
Spectral Doppler – the measurement of blood flow is displayed as the distance traveled per unit of time, or graphically, instead of a color picture, with the ability to convert information about blood flow into a distinguishable sound that can be heard with every heartbeat.
Reasons for an Ultrasound
Now that we have reviewed what is an ultrasound, let’s look at the reasons ultrasound exams are used in healthcare. Because ultrasound imaging produces pictures of the inside of your body through sound waves, ultrasound technology can help diagnose many symptoms and conditions, including finding the cause of pain or swelling or even an infection. Ultrasound imaging is also frequently used to evaluate body parts such as the spine, hips, and brain in infants.
Ultrasounds additionally help guide biopsies, diagnose heart conditions and may also be used to evaluate damage if you experience a heart attack. Doppler ultrasounds, which provide more information about volume and speed of blood flow, can help doctors determine if patients are good candidates for some procedures, such as angioplasty.
Here are additional uses for ultrasound imaging:
- Monitoring developing fetus health through viewing the ovaries and uterus during pregnancy
- Diagnosing disease of the gallbladder
- Guiding a needle during biopsy or tumor treatment
- Examining a lump in the breast
- Imaging and guiding biopsy of breast cancer
- Evaluating the thyroid and parathyroid glands
- Assessing synovitis, or joint inflammation
- Evaluating metabolic bone disease
- Evaluating blood flow in the body
- Detecting prostate and genital problems
- Evaluating heart and blood vessels, including abdominal aorta and major branches
- Diagnosing congestive heart failure, valve problems, and other conditions of the heart, called an echocardiogram or echo exam
- Assessing damage incurred from a heart attack
- Assessing liver, pancreas, spleen, kidneys, bladder
Doppler ultrasounds can help doctors evaluate the following:
- Blood clots, or blockages to blood flow
- Narrowing of the blood vessels
- Signs of infection, such as increased blood flow
- Limited or absent blood flow to organs
- Congenital vascular malformations
- Tumors
Ultrasound Preparations
Ultrasound preparations are fairly simple, requiring little to no special preparations. Before your exam, your doctor will communicate your specific ultrasound preparations, which may include not eating or drinking beforehand. In other cases, you may be directed to drink many cups of water before your exam and avoid urinating for your scan. You may need to remove all or some of your clothing and change into a gown for the exam, but it is recommended to wear loose clothing to your appointment. Additionally, if you are wearing any jewelry around the area being examined, it is best to remove it prior to your appointment and leave it at home. Ultrasound preparations vary depending on the reason for your exam, so if you have any questions, it is best to run them by your doctor before your appointment at the ultrasound clinic.
What Happens During an Ultrasound
You may be wondering, “what is an ultrasound actually like?” Here is a better idea of what happens when you are at the ultrasound clinic getting your scan. Many exams may require you to change into a gown, and for most ultrasound exams, you will be lying face-up on an exam table. To improve the quality of the images, your doctor or ultrasound technician may have you turn to the side.
Ultrasound machines are made up of a video monitor, computer console, and a transducer, which is a hand-held imaging device that looks like a wand or microphone. The transducer sends high-frequency sound waves into the body, which are not audible, and listens for returning echoes. A gel is applied to the skin contact part of the transducer to allow these sound waves to travel back and forth, thus making the desired images that are being examined available to view on the monitor. A radiologist will review and analyze the final images and report them to your doctor.
Risks of Ultrasound
Diagnostic ultrasound exams are completely safe, painless, quick, and there are no known risks of ultrasound. There are no risks of ultrasound technology because it is non-invasive and does not use radiation. Typically, the exam will only take 30 minutes to one hour to complete, and you can resume your daily activities right after the exam. Usually, there is no discomfort as the transducer is pressured against the examination area. Still, if the area is tender or has already been sensitive or painful, you may feel slight pressure or discomfort.
Here are some benefits of ultrasound technology:
- Non-invasive exam, meaning no injections or needles
- Less expensive and widely available, compared to other imaging studies
- Extremely safe due to no radiation being used
- Gives a clear picture of soft tissues, unlike x-ray imaging
- Monitoring pregnant women and the developing fetus
- Provides real-time imaging, making ultrasound an ideal tool for guiding needle biopsies, fluid aspirations, and other minimally invasive procedures
Limitations of Ultrasound
While it is a very valuable tool, ultrasound technology still has some limits. Because sound cannot travel well through bone or air, ultrasounds are ineffective when examining certain body parts, like the head or lungs. Other limitations of ultrasound are a need to prepare in some cases, such as not eating or drinking, drinking additional water, and not urinating before your exam. Children receiving an ultrasound may require additional preparation, but it is best to run any questions about instructions by your doctor. Potentially needing a follow-up exam is another one of the limitations of ultrasound. This may be required to further evaluate the area over time if special imaging techniques are required, if treatment is not working, or if something needs medical attention.
Overview
At University Park OBGYN, we are equipped to provide ultrasound services to our patients. Whether you need a menstrual disorder, pain, or pressure diagnosed and treated, or you are expecting a child, we are here to give you the utmost care, no matter your situation. Our team of women’s healthcare professionals is highly trained, skilled, and compassionate. Visit our website or give us a call today to set up your ultrasound exam!
