Questions About Ultrasound

An ultrasound (also sometimes referred to as a sonogram) is an incredibly versatile imaging technique that uses high-frequency sound waves to produce images of the body’s internal organs. The procedure is designed to detect medical issues and check on the status of developing fetuses. Ultrasounds are painless and do not expose the patient to any radiation, so there’s no risk associated with the procedure. During an ultrasound, the specialist smooths a wand (transducer) over the area to produce images on a computer screen. In some cases, a special wand must be inserted into the vagina, rectum, or esophagus to get pictures.

Most ultrasounds take approximately 30-90 minutes, depending on the areas examined. Be sure to check with your doctor or imaging center before the appointment to plan accordingly.

Ultrasound is a very safe, painless, noninvasive procedure that does not expose the patient or the operator to radiation, which makes it a preferred method if feasible. Since it doesn’t use radiation, ultrasound has little if any risk of complications. However, ultrasounds should not be performed more than is medically necessary.

Doctors commonly use ultrasound to study a developing fetus (unborn baby), to learn about conditions that involve soft tissues, such as a person’s abdomen or pelvic organs, glands, muscles and tendons, or their heart and blood vessels. Diagnostic ultrasound may be used if you have signs or symptoms of a problem and an ultrasound may help diagnose or rule out possible causes. It can also be used to guide the insertion of a needle or catheter.

Ultrasound is not an X-ray. Unlike X-rays, ultrasound does not produce ionizing radiation. Instead, it uses high-frequency sound waves to create live images of working structures in your body. Generally speaking, ultrasounds are particularly effective for imaging soft tissues and structures, as well as motion; X-rays are particularly effective for imaging hard tissues or structures and air-filled parts.

It is very normal for an ultrasound to follow a mammogram, especially for people who have dense breast tissue , which makes it difficult to view breast tumors and abnormalities using regular mammography. Another reason to do an ultrasound is if a mammogram or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the breast revealed a lump or other abnormal tissue in your breast. “This can be used to decide the next step. Depending on what the ultrasound shows, that next step could be to do nothing, have more imaging, or get a breast biopsy.

A level 2 ultrasound focuses closely on fetal anatomy to be sure everything is growing and developing as it should. The sonographer will measure your baby's size, check all major organs, help screen for some genetic disorders, check the amount of amniotic fluid in your uterus to make sure the level is normal, and may reveal your baby's sex (if you want to know).

Your health care provider or imaging facility will ask that you avoid eating or drinking anything 8 to 12 hours before an abdominal ultrasound. This is called fasting. Fasting helps prevent gas buildup in the belly area, which could affect the results. In addition, if you eat, the gallbladder and ducts will empty to help digest food and will not be easily seen during the test. Water to take medication is okay.

A full bladder helps by pushing bowel out of the pelvis allowing transmission of ultrasound to target organs. The uterus has to be at the correct angle (at right angles to the direction of the ultrasound beam) to be viewed optimally. In addition, a full bladder can show how much urine the bladder holds when it is full and whether someone completely empties the bladder when voiding. It can show if there is anything unusual about the bladder, such as its size, the thickness of the bladder wall, and if there are blockages or kidney stones.

The short answer is no. Although your Sonographer is trained and licensed to administer an ultrasound and knows how to image your anatomy, they are not qualified to diagnose you. A fellowship trained Radiologist will read your exam and produce a report.