special subjects
Ultrasonography
Uses of Ultrasonography
Ultrasound images are acquired rapidly enough to show the motion of organs and structures in the body in real time (as in a movie). For example, the motion of the beating heart can be seen, even in a fetus. Ultrasonography is effectively used to check for growths and foreign objects that are close to the body’s surface, such as those in the thyroid gland, breasts, testes, and limbs, as well as some lymph nodes. Ultrasonography is effectively used to image internal organs in the abdomen, pelvis, and chest. However, because sound waves are blocked by gas (for example, in the lungs or intestine) and by bone, ultrasonography of internal organs requires special skills. People who have been specifically trained to do ultrasound examinations are called sonographers. Ultrasonography is commonly used to evaluate the following: Echocardiography and Other Ultrasound Procedures : For example, to detect abnormalities in the way the heart beats, structural abnormalities such as defective heart valves, and abnormal enlargement of the heart’s chambers or walls (ultrasonography of the heart is called Echocardiography and Other Ultrasound Procedures : For example, to detect dilated and narrowed blood vessels Ultrasonography : For example, to detect gallstones and blockages in the bile ducts Ultrasonography : For example, to detect tumors and other disorders Ultrasonography : For example, to distinguish benign cysts from solid masses (which may be cancer) in the kidneys or to detect blockages such as stones or other structural abnormalities in the kidneys, ureters, or bladder Ultrasonography : For example, to detect tumors and inflammation in the ovaries, fallopian tubes, or uterus Ultrasonography : For example, to evaluate the growth and development of the fetus and to detect abnormalities of the placenta (such as a misplaced placenta, called placenta previa) Joint Pain: Single Joint : For example, to detect swelling within a joint or a torn ligament Ultrasonography can also be used to guide doctors when they remove a sample of tissue for a biopsy. Ultrasonography can show the position of the biopsy instrument, as well as the area to be biopsied (such as a mass). Thus, doctors can see where to insert the instrument and can guide it directly to its target. 