FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY: The Power of Ultrasound
For many people, an ultrasound is the imaging tool used during a woman’s pregnancy to evaluate a baby’s health and to give parents a first look at their child. But an ultrasound is also used for many other diagnostic procedures. The advantages are many. An ultrasound exam, which uses sound waves to produce images of the body’s organs, muscles and circulatory system, is noninvasive. There is no radiation involved, and a typical exam takes only 30 minutes to an hour to perform. Here are just a few of the ways physicians are using the power of the ultrasound:
Perform Vascular Screenings: By using an ultrasound to evaluate your circulatory system, physicians can identify areas where there are narrowing of the blood vessels that may lead to a stroke. An ultrasound exam can also be used to detect a blockage (thrombosis) in an artery and widening of the blood vessels, which may indicate an aneurysm.
Examine Muscles and Tendons: Abnormalities or tears in the tendons and muscles, such as the rotator cuff in the shoulder or the Achilles tendon in the ankle, can be examined using an ultrasound.
Diagnose Cancer: If an abnormality is detected in a woman’s breast during a mammogram or physical exam, an ultrasound is often used to gather more information instead of undergoing an invasive biopsy. An ultrasound is also used in the detection of thyroid and ovarian cancers.
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