Ultrasounds, or sonograms, generate images of your organs using high-frequency sound waves. They use a transducer device to transmit sound waves in your body that bounce off and go back to the transducer. It then sends the details to the computer for conversion into high-quality imagery. So, what conditions does ultrasound Buckhead diagnose? Most people think about pregnant women when they hear about ultrasounds. However, this is just one of the many diagnostic functions of ultrasound technology. Here is a look at the common conditions that can be detected using ultrasound imaging.
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Cancer
Cancer is one of the most debilitating diseases today. The good news is that ultrasound imaging can help diagnose various cancers. It can produce images of soft tissue diseases that don’t appear clearly on x-rays. It is also great for differentiating fluid-filled cysts and solid tumors. In women, ultrasound is also performed to help diagnose ovarian or endometrial cancer. Healthcare experts also use ultrasound when performing needle-guided biopsies, where they watch the screen as the needle moves into the tumor. Anesthetists also use ultrasound to guide a needle with anesthetic treatments near nerves. Additionally, doppler flow machines can help determine if cancer has spread in blood vessels in organs such as the pancreas and liver.
Heart Disease
An echocardiogram has a transducer that sends waves to bounce off your heart. The resulting image can be used to detect heart disease making ultrasound a great tool for diagnosing life-threatening heart conditions. Ultrasound can also be a great tool in diagnosing the heart’s stress levels. This echocardiogram is done when the heart is physically stressed due to working out. Determining the stress level of your heart when exercising can play a significant role in managing your heart disease.
Ectopic Pregnancy
Ultrasound is often known for examining the health of your pregnancy. One of the conditions it can diagnose is ectopic pregnancy. This condition occurs when a fertilized egg gets implanted outside the uterus and is the main cause of first-trimester maternal death. Undiagnosed and untreated ectopic pregnancy can result in a ruptured fallopian tube causing severe bleeding and abdominal pain. This can result in permanent tube damage or death of the mother, which is why undertaking an ultrasound around 8 to 10 weeks into pregnancy is vital.
Stroke
For patients with cardiovascular problems, stroke is often a major health risk. Carotid ultrasound is done to examine a person’s risk of stroke. This ultrasound involves monitoring blood through the carotid arteries in the neck to diagnose stenosis. If the ultrasound imaging provides a positive diagnosis for stenosis, a stroke could be forthcoming.
Ultimately, ultrasound can diagnose many conditions, making it a vital tool in the diagnostic world. While ultrasound images aren’t as detailed as those gathered from MRI or CT scans, they are essential for capturing images of particular soft-tissue diseases that are difficult to find with an X-ray and without exposing the patients to radiation. Ultrasound is a painless, safe, and noninvasive diagnostic procedure with no risk of complications. However, the quality of the results of your ultrasound scan will often depend on the skill of the doctor or technologist conducting the procedure. Therefore, ensure to go to a skilled practitioner.
Tiffany is a Medical Student and also works as a fitness coach in part-time. She is also a writer and writes on health and fitness articles. Tiffany loves to engage with users and help them provide various useful information on General Health. She provides researched-based information and also featured on various blogs and magazines.