Ultrasound

Ultrasound is a non-invasive, cost effective and easily available procedure that uses high frequency sound waves to view internal organs and produce images of the human body

The human ear cannot hear the sound waves used in an ultrasound. It has both diagnostic and therapeutic aspects, technical term use for ultrasound is SONOGRAPHY.

 

INDICATIONS FOR ULTRASOUND

1: Diagnostic

For abdominal scan

•localized abdominal pain with indefinite clinical features

•suspected intra-abdominal abscess

•Nonspecific abdominal mass

•Suspected intra-abdominal mass

•Abdominal trauma

For pelvic scan

•Dysuria, frequency of micturition and hematuria

•Recurrent Urinary tract infection

•Retention of urine

•Pelvic pain and mass

•Abnormal vaginal discharge and bleeding

•Amenorrhea, IUCD, infertility

Pregnancy

•To confirm intrauterine pregnancy.

•Recognize simple or multiple pregnancy.

•In case of abortion.

•Diagnose fetal abnormalities

•Location of placenta and amount of amniotic fluid and recognize IUGR.

  IUGR= (Intra uterine Growth Retardation).

•Confirm the presentation and position of fetus.

2: Therapeutic Indication

•Useful for guidance of biopsies

•liver

•Breast

•Prostate

•Intra-abdominal abscess drainage

Advantages and limitations of ultrasound

•Noninvasive comparatively safer imaging technique and painless procedure.

•widely available, low cost and easy to use.

•No radiation, so preferred technique for monitoring pregnant women and their un born   children.

•Soft tissues, such as the liver, spleen kidney and pancreas can be imaged directly without the   injection of any sort.

•Real time image generation

•Entire abdomen and pelvis can be rapidly scanned.

•Can display the movement and actual function of the body's organs and blood vessels.

Main limitation: does not reflect clearly from bone or air.

Preparation of the patient

A: Abdominal ultra sound

•Adults:  Nothing by mouth for 8hrs preceding the examination.

•Infant: Nothing by mouth for 3hrs preceding the examination.

•In case of acute abdomen, no preparation is required.

B:  For pelvic ultrasound

•Patient should drink 4 or 5 glasses of fluid.

•Do not allow the patient to micturate.

ULTRASOUND SERVICES

  • View the uterus and ovaries during pregnancy and monitor the developing baby's health.
  • Infertility causes in both individual (male & female)
  • Congenital anomalies of the fetus.
  • Fetal heart rate and ECG.
  • Diagnose gallbladder, liver, pancreas, spleen and kidney diseases.
  • Evaluate blood flow and Doppler of limbs.
  • Guide a needle for biopsy or tumor treatment.
  • Find genital and prostate problems.
  • Assess joint inflammation, called synovitis.
  • All small parts including Thyroid, breast, testes and appendix.