 |
Ultrasound imaging, also called sonography, is a painless and noninvasive procedure used to visualize the inside of the human body through the use of high-frequency sound waves.
During an ultrasound, a trained technician or doctor moves a device called a transducer over part of your body; the transducer emits sound waves, which bounce off tissues and are received back as echoes. The echoes created can identify the size, structure and location of body tissues; that information is then used to create an image on the area of study.
Ultrasound is the most utilized form of diagnostic imaging after general x-ray, largely because no radiation is involved, making it the preferred imaging modality for diagnosis and monitoring of pregnant women and fetuses.
|
 |
|
|
It is also frequently used for breast, cardiac, renal, liver, gallbladder, musculo-skeletal, ophthalmic, testicle, salivary gland and lymph node imaging among many others.
Additionally, ultrasound serves as a guiding tool for interventional procedures such as fine needle breast aspiration and biopsy
An exciting development in ultrasound has been the development and increased use of 3-D and 4-D ultrasound imaging, which gives practitioners and parents an extremely detailed picture of the unborn baby while in utero.
|
 |
Currently 4-D is used primarily for creating keepsake photos and parental bonding, but some recent medical studies recognize the benefits of this type of imaging for identifying fetal anomalies. |
|
Read more about 3D /4D Ultrasound |
|
|
|
|
|
|