Ultrasound, also known as sonography, is a non-invasive imaging technique that uses high-frequency sound waves to create images of internal organs, tissues, or a fetus inside the body. This method is widely used for diagnostic purposes and is considered safe as it does not involve radiation.
External Ultrasound:
For example, when a doctor wants to examine a patient’s abdomen or a fetus in the womb, this type of ultrasound is used. The sonographer applies ultrasound gel to the patient’s skin and moves the probe over the area of the body that needs to be examined.
Abdominal and Digestive System Ultrasound:
The abdominal cavity, excluding the urinary and reproductive systems, consists of various organs, including the digestive system, liver, gallbladder, spleen, pancreas, and more. These organs are divided into three groups: hollow organs filled with gas or air, solid organs like the liver and spleen, and hollow organs containing fluids, such as the bladder and gallbladder.
Ultrasound is most often used to examine solid organs and fluid-filled hollow organs, with its primary application being the diagnosis of gallbladder diseases. Air or gas inside hollow organs like the stomach can interfere with ultrasound by reflecting sound waves, preventing imaging. Therefore, the interior of the stomach and intestines cannot typically be visualized under normal conditions. However, in certain diseases, specific maneuvers can allow examination of the stomach and intestinal walls.
Ultrasound can detect gallbladder inflammation due to bile accumulation and thickening caused by stones or tumors. It is also used to evaluate infectious cysts (e.g., hydatid cysts), congenital cysts, liver abscesses, bacterial infections, liver and spleen tumors, and more.
Pregnancy Ultrasounds:
Typically, pregnant women with an uncomplicated pregnancy undergo four ultrasounds by the end of their pregnancy:
If issues are detected in the ultrasounds, or if the pregnant woman has conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, or other diseases, or if there is suspicion of a small fetus or multiple pregnancies, more ultrasounds may be required. These are usually repeated, especially in late pregnancy (between weeks 28 and 36), every 2 to 3 weeks. Pregnant women undergo four ultrasounds by the end of the pregnancy period.
Cardiac and Vascular Ultrasound:
Used in echocardiography, also known as heart ultrasound, this method produces a two-dimensional cross-section of the heart. Modern devices can also generate three-dimensional images.
Echocardiograms assess blood flow velocity and heart tissue at specific points using Doppler ultrasound pulses or continuous waves to create images of the cardiovascular system. Healthcare professionals can better evaluate heart valve function, abnormalities between the left and right sides of the heart, valve insufficiency (leaking valves), and the heart’s pumping efficiency in ejecting blood.
Internal Ultrasound:
Internal ultrasound is used when a doctor needs a closer look at the prostate gland, ovaries, or uterus. In this case, the probe is inserted into the vagina (for women) or rectum (for men).
Testicular Ultrasound:
The testicles, which are the primary reproductive organs in men, may require ultrasound for various reasons, including varicocele (dilated testicular veins), hydrocele (fluid accumulation in the scrotum), undescended testicles (testicles that have not descended or have retracted into the inguinal canal or abdomen), testicular trauma, testicular torsion, and more.
During a varicocele ultrasound, the patient is often asked to take a deep breath and hold it to make the testicular veins more prominent for easier examination. Additionally, the testicles and scrotum are examined in a standing position. Testicles may require ultrasound for various reasons.
Urinary System Ultrasound:
The urinary system in both genders consists of two kidneys, two ureters, a bladder, and a urethra. In principle, all parts of the urinary system can be examined with ultrasound, but normal ureters are typically not visible due to their very small diameter and virtually collapsed walls.
Ultrasound has numerous applications in evaluating the urinary system, including detecting kidney enlargement due to urine backflow caused by obstructions (e.g., stones or other masses), examining kidney tumors, cysts, and abscesses, assessing kidney size in transplant patients, evaluating the prostate and bladder, and more.
To examine the bladder and surrounding areas, the bladder must be full. However, an overly full bladder can cause urine to back up into the ureters and renal pelvis, potentially leading to misdiagnosis.
Note: Sometimes, the bladder needs to be examined in both full and empty states (e.g., to assess prostate enlargement).
Orthopedic Ultrasound:
Ultrasound is used to evaluate soft tissues and cartilaginous parts of the body. For example, it can diagnose the following conditions:
Breast Ultrasound:
Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women worldwide. Having or not having risk factors does not definitively indicate future breast cancer.
Approximately 11-12% of women are at risk of developing breast cancer. Those suspected of having breast cancer can initially use breast ultrasound to examine various breast lumps. Breast biopsy, another necessary procedure in breast cancer cases, relies heavily on ultrasound for guidance.
Thyroid Ultrasound:
Like other glands in the body, the thyroid gland can develop solid tumors or fluid-filled cysts. Typically, an endocrinologist requests a thyroid ultrasound for two purposes after initial examinations and possibly a radioisotope scan:
Vascular Doppler Ultrasound:
Doppler ultrasound is used to assess blood flow within vessels. Blood approaching the device appears red, while blood moving away appears blue on the display.
This method is used to evaluate vascular narrowing, distinguish benign from malignant tumors, differentiate low-blood-flow from high-blood-flow masses, detect limb vessel blockages in smokers, and more.
Unnecessary fear or anxiety in patients may cause minor disruptions in Doppler ultrasound results. Doppler ultrasound is accompanied by the sound of arterial and venous blood flow, which may sometimes resemble a screeching or crying sound. Do not be alarmed by these sounds.
Ultrasound in Women’s Health:
Ultrasound is a valuable tool for imaging the uterus, ovaries, and female pelvic cavity. Fallopian tubes, which transport eggs from the ovaries to the uterus, are typically not visible in ultrasound due to their narrow diameter under normal conditions.
Conditions that can be evaluated with ultrasound include uterine fibroids and other masses, natural and abnormal ovarian cysts requiring follow-up by a gynecologist, ovarian tumors, pelvic infections, and urinary system diseases.
Ultrasound is usually performed abdominally, but in some cases, as determined by gynecologists or treating physicians, transvaginal ultrasound is more accurate and useful.
While ultrasound is highly valuable in diagnosing uterine and ovarian cancers, early detection of female reproductive cancers, particularly cervical cancer, is only possible through clinical examination and a cervical cancer test, also known as a Pap smear.
In ultrasound, images of various parts of the body are created on a monitor using sound waves. Ultimately, the interpretation of these images by a specialized ultrasound physician is provided to the patient and their treating doctor in the form of a report.
No. This method uses ultrasonic waves.
It is used to diagnose certain diseases. For example, ultrasound is used for conditions related to the liver, gallbladder, kidneys, spleen, pancreas, appendix, bladder, uterus, ovaries, prostate, thyroid, breast, testicles, and some joints.
For some abdominal ultrasounds, individuals must fast for eight hours before the examination. Eating affects the digestive system, which can interfere with the ultrasound results.