ULTRASOUND
IMAGE QUALITY IS KEY
WHAT IS AN ULTRASOUND?
An ultrasound scan is a medical test that uses high-frequency sound waves to capture live images from the inside of your body. It’s also known as sonography.
The technology is similar to that used by sonar and radar, which help the military detect planes and ships. An ultrasound allows your doctor to see problems with organs, vessels, and tissues without needing to make an incision.
Unlike other imaging techniques, ultrasound uses no radiation. For this reason, it’s the preferred method for viewing a developing fetus during pregnancy. Our Practice specializes in Ultrasound examinations that range from cancer screening to more complex vascular Doppler ultrasound to screen for arterial and venous disease.
Why do an ULTRASOUND?
Most people associate ultrasound scans with pregnancy. These scans can provide an expectant mother with the first view of her unborn child. However, the test has many other uses.
Your doctor may order an ultrasound if you’re having pain, swelling, bleeding, vomiting or other symptoms that require an internal view of your organs. An ultrasound can provide a view of the:
• brain (in infants)
• breasts
• eyes
• gallbladder
• kidneys
• liver
• ovaries
• pancreas
• spleen
• thyroid
• testicles
• uterus
• urinary bladder
• blood vessels
An ultrasound is also a helpful way to guide surgeons’ movements during certain medical procedures, such as biopsies.
A sonogram has no radiation and there are no injections.
How to prepare for an ultrasound
The steps you will take to prepare for an ultrasound will depend on the area or organ that is being examined.
Your doctor may tell you to fast for 4-6 hours before your ultrasound, especially if your abdomen is being examined. Undigested food can block the sound waves, making it difficult for the technician to get a clear picture.
For an examination of the gallbladder, liver, pancreas, or spleen, you may be told to eat a fat-free meal the evening before your test and then to fast until the procedure. However, you can continue to drink water and take any medications as instructed. For other examinations, you may be asked to drink a lot of water and to hold your urine so that your bladder is full and better visualized.
Be sure to tell your doctor about any prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, or herbal supplements that you take before the exam.
It’s important to follow your doctor’s instructions and ask any questions you may have before the procedure.
An ultrasound carries minimal risks. Unlike X-rays or CT scans, ultrasounds use no radiation. For this reason, they are the preferred method for examining a developing fetus during pregnancy.
After an ultrasound
Following the exam, your doctor will review the images and check for any abnormalities. They will discuss the findings and if necessary schedule a follow-up appointment. Should anything abnormal turn up on the ultrasound, you may need to undergo further diagnostic techniques, such as a CT scan, MRI, or a biopsy sample of tissue depending on the area examined. If your doctor is able to make a diagnosis of your condition based on your ultrasound, they may begin your treatment immediately.
A screening sonogram should be part of a comprehensive annual examination for both men and women.
ULTRASOUND SERVICES
- Thyroid ultrasound
- Breast Ultrasound
- Abdomen Ultrasound
- Kidneys, Ureters, Bladder / KUB/ Renal Ultrasound
- Pelvis Ultrasound
- Prostate Ultrasound
- Early Obstetric Ultrasound
- Fetal Anomaly scans
- Routine Obstetric scans
- Testicular Ultrasound
- Ultrasound Guided Biopsy
- Carotid Doppler Ultrasound
- Upper limb Doppler for AV fistula
- Lower limb Venous Doppler – DVT
- Lower limb Venous Doppler – venous insufficiency, varicose veins
- Lower limb Arterial Doppler
- Renal Artery Doppler
- Hepatic Portal Venous Doppler