Ultrasound technicians have received more acknowledgement in the past few years because of the enormous tasks they have been faced with after the technological advances which have occurred in the field. Ultrasound technicians are now responsible for not only ensuring the health of a newly created baby, but are also in charge of detecting early cancerous cells in patients who have found a lump or other cancerous symptoms. This ups their responsibility to one which teeters between life and death, resulting in a higher salary within the medical community.
Ultrasound technicians typically do not have to hold an advanced degree unless they are in charge of a particularly dangerous medical matter, and therefore are not paid as highly as others within the medical community. However, because of the new responsibilities that many ultrasound technicians are now faced with, many salaries have increased over the past years. Ultrasounds have now become a more effective way of detecting both breast and prostate cancer, especially when coupled with other exams. While there are still many critics of the ultrasound process (the results can sometimes lead to false positives), the end-all result is a general consensus among the medical community that ultrasounds are now a necessity in detecting cancerous cells.
Ultrasound technicians have therefore been thrust into the spotlight because of these advances and have had to revamp their degree programs and course requirements. While the process is relatively similar to that which most have already been trained in, it is still difficult to detect the difference between what looks like a cancerous cell and what is a cancer-free cell. Doctors are typically within the room at the same time as the ultrasound technician during any cancer testing, but ultrasound technicians still must know the machine better than any doctor or medical professional should be able to, since it is their full-time job.
Ultrasound technicians also continue to be a vital part of the early stages of pregnancy and are therefore important in many aspects of the medical community. Their salaries have risen proportionate to this rise in responsibility, but despite all these changes, their outlook of their career has not changed. Technicians continue to provide their patients with the best care possible and are the reassuring force in many exams who help parents see the first images of their baby and help ensure that other patients do not have cancer.