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Skip to main content. Medical tests. Home Medical tests. Ultrasound scan. Actions for this page Listen Print. Summary Read the full fact sheet. On this page. Different uses of ultrasound scans Medical issues and ultrasound scans Ultrasound procedure Immediately after an ultrasound scan Taking care of yourself at home after an ultrasound scan Long-term outlook after an ultrasound scan Other types of scans Where to get help.
If the internal reproductive organs or urinary system need to be evaluated, the transducer may be placed in the rectum for a man or in the vagina for a woman. To evaluate some part of the digestive system, for example, the esophagus, the chest lymph nodes, or the stomach, an endoscope may be used.
Internal ultrasound scans are less comfortable than external ones, and there is a slight risk of internal bleeding. Most types of ultrasound are noninvasive, and they involve no ionizing radiation exposure. The procedure is believed to be very safe.
Ultrasound during pregnancy is recommended only when medically needed. Anyone who is allergic to latex should inform their doctor so that they will not use a latex-covered probe. Platelet-rich plasma therapy is a controversial treatment that is growing in popularity in sports science and dermatology. Learn more. People with certain conditions or who have undergone chemotherapy or radiation may require a stem cell transplant. They can use a person's own stem….
An intravenous IV injection is a fast and accurate way of administering a medication. Learn more about IV injections here. Learn more about its uses and how it compares with saline solution here. A BNP test is a type of blood test that doctors sometimes use to help diagnose heart failure. Read on to find out more. How do ultrasound scans work? Functional ultrasound applications include Doppler and color Doppler ultrasound for measuring and visualizing blood flow in vessels within the body or in the heart.
It can also measure the speed of the blood flow and direction of movement. This is done using color-coded maps called color Doppler imaging.
Doppler ultrasound is commonly used to determine whether plaque build-up inside the carotid arteries is blocking blood flow to the brain. Another functional form of ultrasound is elastography, a method for measuring and displaying the relative stiffness of tissues, which can be used to differentiate tumors from healthy tissue.
This information can be displayed as either color-coded maps of the relative stiffness; black-and white maps that display high-contrast images of tumors compared with anatomical images; or color-coded maps that are overlayed on the anatomical image. Elastography can be used to test for liver fibrosis, a condition in which excessive scar tissue builds up in the liver due to inflammation. Ultrasound is also an important method for imaging interventions in the body.
For example, ultrasound-guided needle biopsy helps physicians see the position of a needle while it is being guided to a selected target, such as a mass or a tumor in the breast. Also, ultrasound is used for real-time imaging of the location of the tip of a catheter as it is inserted in a blood vessel and guided along the length of the vessel.
It can also be used for minimally invasive surgery to guide the surgeon with real-time images of the inside of the body. Therapeutic or interventional ultrasound. Therapeutic ultrasound produces high levels of acoustic output that can be focused on specific targets for the purpose of heating, ablating, or breaking up tissue.
HIFU is being investigated as a method for modifying or destroying diseased or abnormal tissues inside the body e. Either ultrasound or MRI is used to identify and target the tissue to be treated, guide and control the treatment in real time, and confirm the effectiveness of the treatment. HIFU is currently FDA approved for the treatment of uterine fibroids, to alleviate pain from bone metastases, and most recently for the ablation of prostate tissue.
HIFU is also being investigated as a way to close wounds and stop bleeding, to break up clots in blood vessels, and to temporarily open the blood brain barrier so that medications can pass through. Diagnostic ultrasound is generally regarded as safe and does not produce ionizing radiation like that produced by x-rays. Still, ultrasound is capable of producing some biological effects in the body under specific settings and conditions. For this reason, the FDA requires that diagnostic ultrasound devices operate within acceptable limits.
The FDA, as well as many professional societies, discourage the casual use of ultrasound e. 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. A computer instantly measures these signature waves and displays them as real-time pictures on a monitor. The technologist typically captures one or more frames of the moving pictures as still images. They may also save short video loops of the images.
Doppler ultrasound, a special ultrasound technique, measures the direction and speed of blood cells as they move through vessels.
The movement of blood cells causes a change in pitch of the reflected sound waves called the Doppler effect. A computer collects and processes the sounds and creates graphs or color pictures that represent the flow of blood through the blood vessels.
For most ultrasound exams, you will lie face-up on an exam table that can be tilted or moved. Patients may turn to either side to improve the quality of the images. The radiologist a doctor specifically trained to supervise and interpret radiology exams or sonographer will position you on the exam table. They will apply a water-based gel to the area of the body under examination. The gel will help the transducer make secure contact with the body.
It also eliminates air pockets between the transducer and the skin that can block the sound waves from passing into your body. The sonographer places the transducer on the body and moves it back and forth over the area of interest until it captures the desired images. There is usually no discomfort from pressure as they press the transducer against the area being examined.
However, if the area is tender, you may feel pressure or minor pain from the transducer. Very rarely, young children may need sedation to hold still for the procedure. Parents should ask about this beforehand and be made aware of prior food and drink restrictions that sedation requires. Once the imaging is complete, the technologist will wipe off the clear ultrasound gel from your skin.
Any portions that remain will dry quickly. The ultrasound gel does not usually stain or discolor clothing. In some ultrasound exams, the doctor attaches a probe to the transducer and inserts into a body cavity. These exams include:. If the doctor performs a Doppler ultrasound exam, you may hear pulse-like sounds that change in pitch as they monitor and measure the blood flow. When the exam is complete, the technologist may ask you to dress and wait while the doctor reviews the ultrasound images.
A radiologist, a doctor trained to supervise and interpret radiology exams, will analyze the images. The radiologist will send a signed report to the doctor who requested the exam. Your doctor will then share the results with you. In some cases, the radiologist may discuss results with you after the exam. You may need a follow-up exam. If so, your doctor will explain why. Sometimes a follow-up exam further evaluates a potential issue with more views or a special imaging technique.
It may also see if there has been any change in an issue over time.
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