Ultrasound imaging, or sonography, was developed during World War I to help ships track submarine movement. The first use of ultrasounds for medical purposes started in the 1950s. Ultrasounds are widely used and available at low cost in most markets and because ultrasound imaging does not use radiation it is the preferred choice for monitoring pregnant women and the unborn babies. Because of technological advancements, physicians are now able to make three-dimensional, four-dimensional and three-dimensional motion ultrasounds.
Explained
Sonar is an acronym for SOund Navigation And Ranging. According to Ehealthmd.com, "As sound passes through the body it produces echoes, which can identify distance, size and shape of objects inside." Ultrasounds are an important tool for diagnosing a number of conditions and evaluating organ damage after an illness. A special kind of ultrasound called Doppler ultrasound evaluates the blood velocity as it flows through a blood vessel, artery or vein in the abdomen, arms, legs and neck.
Ultrasound Scanner
Ultrasound scanners consists of a computer, an electronic display and a transducer. The transducer is responsible for sending short, inaudible, high frequency sound waves into the body. These sound waves interact with the body's tissues and return echoes back to the transducer. Once the echoes return, they are analyzed by the scanners on the computer. To create the image, the computer analyzes the echoes based on amplitude, frequency and how long the sound traveled from the target back to the transducer. The results are immediately seen on the scanner's electronic display. In order to make better contact with human skin and eliminate pockets of air, a clear water-based gel is applied to the body where the transducer makes contact. According to Radiologyinfo.org, in some ultrasound studies, the transducer is attached to a probe and inserted into a natural opening in the body. These exams include the transesophageal echocardiogram, in which the transducer is inserted into the esophagus to obtain images of the heart; transrectal ultrasound, in which the transducer is inserted into a man's rectum to view the prostate; and the transvaginal ultrasound, in which the transducer is inserted into a woman's vagina to view the uterus and ovaries.
Most ultrasound examinations are completed within 30 minutes to an hour.
In Practice
Because ultrasounds are not as effective diagnosing areas encased in bone or gas, they are usually reserved for diagnosing newborn brain scans; scanning the appendix for appendicitis; diagnosing cirrhosis of the liver and liver cysts; locating gallstones in the gallbladder or bile ducts; scanning the pancreas for cysts, tumors or pancreatitis; examining the eyes; scanning the kidneys for congenital defects; scanning the thyroid, breasts, spleen, testicles and ovaries; and the most well known use, scanning women during pregnancy for complications and fetal development.
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