Last Updated on 9 months by Isreal Olabanji DST RN
Diagnostic ultrasound, also known as sonography or diagnostic medical sonography, is an imaging technique that utilizes sound waves at high frequencies to produce pictures at objects inside the body. The photographs will offer useful knowledge to identify and manage a variety of diseases and conditions.
Most ultrasound scans are conducted outside of the body using an ultrasonic tool, while others include inserting a system within the body.
Why it’s done?
Ultrasound is used for many purposes, including:
1. View the abdomen and ovaries during pregnancy to track the progress of the baby’s well being.
3. Diagnosis of gallbladder disease.
4. Evaluate blood pressure.
5. Guide a biopsy or tumour treatment needle.
6. Check the thyroid gland.
7. Detect vaginal and prostate issues
8. Evaluate joint inflammation (synovitis).
9. Evaluate metabolic bone disorder (MBD).
10. An ultrasound is often a helpful means to monitor the actions of the doctors through some surgical operations, for example, biopsies.
Risk:
Ultrasound therapy is a safe technique that uses low-power sound waves. No established threats do exist.
Ultrasound is a powerful resource, but it does have restrictions. Hearing does not move easily across air or tissue, and ultrasound is not successful in imaging areas of the body that include gas or are covered by tissue, including the lungs or eyes. To show the areas in question, your doctor can prescribe additional medical tests such as CT scans, X-rays, MRI scans.
2. How do you prepare?
Most ultrasonic tests may not involve much training. However, there are a few exceptions:
1. For certain examinations, such as an ultrasound of the gallbladder, the doctor can remind you not to eat or drink for a specific amount of time before the test.
2. Some can require a full bladder, for example, an ultrasonic pelvic. Before the test, the doctor will let you exactly how much water you need to drink. Do not urinate until you have finished the test.
3. Small kids will need more preparation. Ask your doctor if there are any clear guidelines you’ll need to obey while arranging an ultrasound for yourself or your infant.
4, Clothes and personal objects
Carry loose clothing for the ultrasonic rendezvous. You that be required to remove jewellery during the examination so keeping some valuables at home is a smart idea.
3. What you can expect?
Before the procedure
You will be told to do the following before the examination begins:
1. Remove all jewellery from the region being investigated.
2. Take any or more of your clothing off.
3. Turn into a robe.
4. You would be told to lie on an exam table.
5. You would be told to lie on an evaluation table.
During the procedure
The gel is spread over the region under examination to your face. It helps avoid air bubbles that can obstruct the waves of sound that produce the pictures. This water-based gel is simple to extract from the skin and clothes should it be required.
A skilled technician (sonograph) is pushing a compact, portable tool (transducer) against the area being examined and rotating it to capture the images as needed. The transducer delivers sound waves through the body, gathers those that bounce back and transfers them to a machine that produces the images.
Ultrasounds are often performed inside the body. In this scenario, the transducer is connected to a probe that is implanted into the body through a normal opening.
Examples include-
- Echocardiogram with trans esophageal influence. A transducer, implanted into the oesophagus, provides photos of the heart. Typically that is achieved when you are being sedated.
- The ultrasound is transrectal. This examination produces prostate photos by inserting a special transducer within the rectum.
- The ultrasound is transvaginal. To have a brief glance at the uterus and ovaries a special transducer is carefully placed into the vagina.
- Ultrasound appears to be painless. You can feel slight pain, though, when the sonographer directs the transducer across your body, particularly if you need a full bladder or implant it into your body.
4. Outcomes
A specialist qualified to view imaging (radiologist) and x-rays studies can examine the pictures until the test is full and can give a report to the specialist. Your health care professional will discuss the findings with you.
Clinical trials
Investigate Queen Elizabeth Health Complex that evaluates ultrasound novel therapies, procedures, and tests as a way of avoiding, identifying, handling or controlling this disorder.
After an ultrasound, you will be able to go back to regular practices instantly.
