Ultrasound Imaging is also known as “ultrasound scanning” or
“sonography”. Ultrasound imaging is exposing a part of the body to a
high frequency sound (1-12 MHz) is transmitted into the body, usually in
very short pulses Returning echoes are analyzed to create an image of inside of the body. This kind of
imaging does not use any ionizing radiations like X-rays and so they can
report about the structure and motion of internal organs and even the
blood flow through the vessels while X-rays do not report about the
motion of the organs or blood flow. This is considered as one of the
major advantages of Ultrasound Imaging over the X-rays
.It is the most
preferred imaging modality that is used on pregnant patients and unborn
babies. And also for standard ultrasound there are no harmful effects
on humans.
Ultrasound Imaging is a non-invasive method of diagnosing that is used
by physicians all over the world.Ultrasound Imaging helps to diagnose
the variety of conditions of the organ under examination and also help
us to access the organ damage. It helps the physician to figure out the
presence of:
Ultrasound is the useful way in examining a number of internal organs or
parts like Heart and the blood vessels, including the abdominal aorta
and its major branches.
- Kidney
- Gall bladder
- Spleen
- Pancreas
- Liver
- Bladder
- Uterusand ovaries
- unborn fetus in pregnant patients
- Thyroid and parathyroid
- Scrotum
Ultrasound is also used in:
- Guiding the procedures in the needle biopsies where there is a need to take sample cells from the abdomen for testing.
- Ultrasound guided breast biopsy where its takes the image of the breast that helps in biopsy for breast cancer.
- Blockages in the blood vessels
- Narrowing of the vessels
- Tumors and congenital malformation
LIMITATIONS OF ULTRASOUND IMAGING:
Ultrasound waves can be disrupted by air or gas, therefore it
cannot be used to figure out bowels or organs obstructed by bowels.
Therefore CT scans and MRI scans are used in such cases.
Ultrasounds have difficulty in penetrating through the bones.
So only the outer surface of bones can be imaged. Therefore for
visualizing the internal structure of the bones other imaging modalities
or MRI are often used.
Conclusion:
Ultrasound imaging is one of the most useful, minimally or
non-invasive non ionizing radiation method of diagnosing and treating
most of the health problems. Thus ultrasound imaging is the most
effective method prescribed my most of the physicians all over the
world.