Ultrasound is currently availible at CMH on Monday and Thursday mornings.
Ultrasound imaging, sometimes called sonography is a method of obtaining images from inside the human body by using high frequency sound waves. As sound passes through the body, echoes are produced that identify how far away an object is, the size of the object, its shape and consistency (solid, fluid or mixed). Ultrasound can also measure the flow of blood using a specialized method called Doppler ultrasound. No radiation is used with ultrasound imaging. Ultrasound is a useful way of examining many of the body’s internal organs such as the liver, gallbladder, spleen, pancreas, kidneys, bladder, uterus, ovaries, thyroid and testicles.
When is ultrasound used?
Many expectant parents have first seen their unborn child with an ultrasound exam. Ultrasound is used extensively for evaluating pelvic and abdominal organs, blood vessels, and can help a physician determine the source of pain, swelling or infection in many parts of the body. Ultrasound is also used to evaluate superficial structures such as the breast, thyroid and testicles. Doppler ultrasound is a special technique used to examine blood flow. Doppler images can help to determine blockages of blood flow (such as a blood clot) and build up of plaque inside a blood vessel.
How should I prepare for the procedure?
If possible, you should wear loose, comfortable clothing for your exam. Each exam can require a different prep. You will be expected to lie on your back on a comfortable exam table. Gel is applied to the patient’s body in the area to be examined. The gel assures that there is direct contact with the skin. The technologist presses the transducer firmly against the skin and sweeps it back and forth to obtain images of the area of interest. When the exam is complete you may be asked to wait in the room while the images are reviewed. Most exams are painless, fast and easy. To obtain the appropriate images the technologist may have to apply some pressure, which may cause varying degrees of discomfort.
What are the benefits and risks of ultrasound?
Ultrasound has many benefits. It is noninvasive (does not use any needles or injections) and is usually painless. Ultrasound is easily available. It uses no ionizing radiation (x-ray), which makes it the preferred method to image pregnant women and their unborn children. Ultrasound can provide real-time imaging which makes it useful for guiding biopsy procedures. Intestinal gas may also prevent visualization of deeper structures such as the pancreas and aorta. Patients suffering from obesity are more difficult to image because extra tissue weakens the sound waves as they pass deeper into the body.
There are no known harmful effects on humans.