What is the first thought that comes to your mind when you think about Ultrasound scans? For most people they always picture a pregnant lady who is eagerly waiting to get a sneak peek of her child that is growing inside her. Fetal imaging is undoubtedly the most common purpose of ultrasound; however, it isn't the only thing that this diagnostic tool can perform. Ultrasound also known as sonography makes the most of sound waves to create ultrasound images which shows doctors what is actually happening inside the human body. With the use of an instrument called transducer, high frequency sounds are emitted which remains inaudible to our human ears. The sound bounces back which is then recorded to determine the shape, size, consistency of the organs and soft tissues.

This kind of information is relayed in and it produces real time images on the computer screen. The sonographers or ultrasound technicians at the Radiology center at Harding have special training in this field and do an efficient job while performing the test. The images are then interpreted by a doctor to treat different conditions.

What is the purpose of an ultrasound scan?

The purpose of an ultrasound isn't limited to pregnancy. It has various uses in the field of pregnancy. From confirming that you are pregnant to diagnosing several conditions - doctors can make the most of ultrasound tests.

• Pregnancy

There are a wide range of benefits that ultrasound scans offer during pregnancy. They reveal the due dates, presence of multiple babies or twins, and also helps to rule out the cases of ectopic pregnancies. The use of valuable screening tools helps doctors to every kind of potential problems these includes issues which include birth defects, breech positioning, placental problems, and others. Later in pregnancy, with the help of ultrasound doctors will be able to determine the size of the babies or how large it is going to be at the time of delivery.

• For the purpose of diagnostics

If you are a resident of Morristown, New Jersey then you can drop by at Radiology center at Harding to diagnose an array of conditions which are affecting the soft tissues or organs of your body. This includes the blood vessels, heart, gallbladder, liver, pancreas, spleen, bladder, kidneys, thyroid, uterus, eyes, testicles, and ovaries. Though there are certain limitations to the ultrasound as it can't transmit its sound waves through body parts or dense bones.

• It is used during different medical procedures

During medical procedures like needle biopsies, doctors can make the most of Ultrasound imaging. This allows a doctor to remove some tissues from an accurate area inside the body which is then used for testing in labs. Ultrasound scans are also used for the purpose of detecting and treating different soft tissue injuries.

The painless, needle or incision free scans serve various purposes. Patients don't have any risk of being exposed life-threatening radiations here. It is a way safer procedure and captures the accurate images of soft tissues.