Ultrasound
Ultrasound imaging, also called ultrasound scanning or sonography, is
a method of obtaining images from inside the human body through the use
of high-frequency sound waves. The reflected sound wave echoes are recorded
and displayed as real-time visual images.
No X-rays or radiation is involved in ultrasound
imaging.
Ultrasound
is a useful way of examining many of the body's internal organs, including
but not limited to the liver, gallbladder, kidneys, uterus, ovaries, aorta
and other major blood vessels. Because ultrasound images are captured
in real-time, they can show movement of internal tissues and organs. This
enables the physician to see certain processes occurring in the body,
such as flowing blood or movement of a fetus, in order to diagnose some
conditions.
Ultrasound has difficulty penetrating bone and gas, and therefore cannot
image within or through these substances. For visualization of bone or
gas-containing organs such as lung or bowel, other imaging modalities
such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT) may
be selected.
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