Ultrasound Isn’t Just for Pregnancy: Other Everyday Uses

When a couple is expecting a baby, routine checkups and prenatal care are synonymous with ultrasound scans. They’re a tried-and-true way for doctors to know what’s going on without needing invasive procedures or methods. Ultrasound is remarkably safe, and we experience it all the time in our world without even realizing it. This makes it ideal for use in medical applications, and these go far beyond pregnancy. 

At Advantage Diagnostics, our experienced radiologists interpret patients’ ultrasound results with the utmost accuracy and care. Here are some other ways that this classic technology may be used.

What Is Ultrasound?

Ultrasound refers to sound waves with frequencies higher than humans can hear. These sound waves travel through materials and reflect back when they hit objects, making them the perfect medium to use to create images of what can’t otherwise be seen. Physicians can see into the body using ultrasound without the need for dyes, radiation or exploratory surgery. 

Ultrasound equipment transmits these powerful sound waves into the body, they are reflected off of the internal organs, and the resulting images are then interpreted by the scanner to create an image on a video display terminal, after which they are then recorded as a series of pictures and printed. A certified radiologist will then interpret the images and send results to the patient’s physician. 

Scanning the belly of a pregnant person may be the most common association with ultrasound, but this popular form of diagnostic imaging method is just as useful for evaluating and diagnosing a wide range of conditions.

Medical Uses Beyond Pregnancy

Pregnancy imaging is a very well-known way for doctors to use ultrasound, but it is by no means the only use. Ultrasounds can be used for an array of conditions, and do not present worrying side effects, even when used in sensitive or delicate areas of the body. When this scan is done to examine conditions beyond pregnancy, it is referred to as a diagnostic ultrasound and can help doctors to do the following:

• Find the cause of symptoms like pain or swelling
• Examine organs, glands, and blood vessels for blockages, growths, and structural problems
• Determine the difference between cysts and tumors

Ultrasound is invaluable in helping to diagnose medical conditions in many parts of the body, including:

• Heart and heart valves
• Blood vessels
• Organs in the abdomen
• Organs in the pelvis
• Thyroid and parathyroid glands
• Kidneys
• Breasts

These are some of the areas of medicine that regularly use ultrasound in diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring of various conditions:

• Gynecological: examining the reproductive system and monitoring health conditions
• Abdominal Imaging: checking organs such as the liver, gallbladder, pancreas, spleen, and kidneys for tumors, cysts, or inflammation
• Cardiovascular: watching heart structures in motion, assessing heart valves, and measuring blood flow
• Musculoskeletal: examining joints, tendons, muscles, and soft tissue for inflammation or injury
• Interventional Guidance: assisting in precise needle placement for biopsies, fluid drainage, and tumor treatment
• Thyroid and Breast Imaging: checking the thyroid gland and evaluating breast lumps for cysts or solid masses

When used to treat a condition, this scan is referred to as therapeutic ultrasound, and is often used to break up kidney stones, treat soft-tissue injuries, and accelerate bone fracture healing. It accomplishes these ends by interacting with tissues in the body and either modifying or destroying them. When used in a therapeutic capacity, ultrasound can move, push or heat tissue, dissolve masses, or deliver medication to specific locations. In most cases, therapeutic ultrasound is non-invasive, safe, and very well-tolerated by patients.

One huge advantage to ultrasound and other imaging diagnostics is that what the technician is capturing is happening in real time, so it is possible to get an immediate and clear view of the patient’s body systems in question as they function. This gives unparalleled insights to a treating physician.

Safe and Trusted Imaging Diagnostics From Advantage Diagnostics

Ultrasound is a powerful technology quietly working behind the scenes in many parts of daily life, from popular ultrasonic cleaning devices and parking sensors on our vehicles, to medical devices and the animal world. When it comes to medical uses, the practical ways that ultrasound scans are used by radiologists and physicians go far beyond prenatal care. If you are a patient in the Beachwood, Ohio area and your referring physician recommends ultrasound to diagnose, treat, or monitor a condition that you are experiencing, Advantage Diagnostics is here to help. We are proud to offer professional imaging services along with a team of expert radiologists who can quickly and accurately interpret your test results. Contact us today to request or submit a patient referral form, and to learn more about our suite of diagnostic imaging services.