Ultrasound

Ultrasound is a radiation-free medical imaging exam that uses high-frequency sound waves to visualize organs, tissues, and some functional processes inside the body. Also called sonography, ultrasound has a wide range of diagnostic applications for nearly every area of the human anatomy.

Some ultrasound exams, especially those that have the purpose of viewing real-time processes in the body, involve the use of a contrast material that is non-radioactive. This includes certain cardiac ultrasound applications such as stress echocardiography.

AMONG THE MANY TYPES OF DIAGNOSTIC ULTRASOUND STUDIES THAT OUR RADIOLOGISTS INTERPRET ARE:

• Abdominal ultrasound—to evaluate internal organs such as the liver, kidneys, spleen, pancreas, or gallbladder
• Arterial and venous/vascular ultrasound—diagnostic or screening exams for abnormalities or disease in the blood vessels, such as cardiovascular or peripheral artery disease
• Brain, spine, and hip ultrasound exams in infants
• Breast ultrasound as a screening or diagnostic exam to look for signs of breast cancer or other disorders of the breast—see our breast ultrasound page for further detail
• Cardiovascular ultrasound—imaging the heart and major blood vessels to evaluate functioning and detect signs of cardiovascular disease
• Female pelvic ultrasound—scans of the female reproductive organs
• Musculoskeletal ultrasound—to evaluate injury or disease in bones, muscles, or soft tissues
• Obstetric ultrasound—to evaluate fetal development during pregnancy
• Scrotum, testicular, and prostate ultrasound—to diagnose disorders of the male reproductive organs
• Thyroid ultrasound—to assess the condition of the gland or evaluate lumps or nodules