Ultrasound (Sonogram)

What Is an Ultrasound?

An ultrasound makes use of sound waves to create images of a patient’s internal organs and structures.  Ultrasound scans are useful as a diagnostic procedure, as a method of monitoring the progress of a fetus, and for the detection of various abnormalities within the body.   

The patient relaxes on a couch while the operator applies lubricating jelly to the skin.  With a probe similar to a thick blunt pen connected to the ultrasound machine with a wire, the operator traces over the lubricated area.  The ultrasound machine sends sound wave pulses to the probe, which then pass into the patient’s body.  These waves echo when they strike solid structures in the body.  The probe detects these returning pulses of sound and transmits them to the ultrasound machine, creating an image on the attached monitor.  Since the image updates continuously, it captures both movement and structure.  By moving the probe over the skin, the operator can view the area from different angles.