Ultrasound technology can aid in the diagnosis and treatment of medical conditions that appear in different areas throughout the body. As each area of the body is unique, the use of this technology in examining it can vary slightly in the procedures that are used and the training that is required. Ultrasound technicians can become specialized in the different areas of obstetric and gynecologic sonography, neurosonography, breast sonography, and abdominal sonography.
The most popular area of sonography is in obstetrics and gynecology, which is when it is used in taking images of the female reproductive system and using ultrasound imaging during pregnancies. Ultrasound technicians specializing in this field conduct ultrasounds known as fetal imaging. The purpose of this type of ultrasound is to observe and monitor the baby while it is in its mother’s womb so that doctors can see if there are any signs of birth defects. Along with tracking the baby’s developmental growth, this imagining technique is also used to determine its gender.
In neurosonography, ultrasound technicians scan areas of the nervous system, including the brain, to examine and diagnose problems associated with it. Technicians can find out if a patient has experienced medical conditions like a stroke or brain aneurysm by scanning blood vessels in the brain or nervous system. Neurosonographers use ultrasounds to examine areas of the entire central nervous system, including the brain, and diagnoses any problems that may be associated with it. Scans can be performed to examine blood vessels in the brain and nervous system to confirm if a patient has had a stroke or brain aneurysm, as well as to examine the brain’s inner structure and look for abnormal tumors or masses.
Ultrasound technicians who specialize in the area of breast sonography use the technology to study diseases that appear in breast tissue. Technicians use imaging to determine whether or not breast abnormalities are solid or fluid which can indicated whether a tumor is a cancerous or not. They also use it to monitor tumors and blood supply conditions as well as assist in the accurate biopsy of breast tissue in the event that an ultrasound cannot determine a breast abnormality.
Abdominal sonography is a specialized area where technicians use ultrasounds to examine areas of a patient’s abdominal cavity. Images are used to help diagnose and treat conditions that involve the kidneys, bile ducts, gallbladder, liver, pancreas, spleen, and the male reproductive system. These types of ultrasounds can be beneficial with patients who are experiencing inflamed or enlarged abdominal organs, an aneurysm in the abdominal aorta, and gall or bladder stones.