Why are ultrasound exams performed?
Ultrasound based diagnostic imaging techniques are used to visualize muscles and internal organs (including the heart, blood vessels, uterus & bladder), their size, structures and possible pathologies or lesions as well as blood flow through blood vessels. Obstetric Ultrasound is commonly used during pregnancy to assess fetal well being, determine fetal position, verify diagnosis of multiple gestational sacs (twins etc) and rule out ectopic pregnancy. Ultrasound provides information for your physician about the specific soft tissue structure being examined, or about the blood flow in vessels within the soft tissues. Soft tissue structures include a mass in or around a joint, or in a muscle or within your abdomen or pelvis.
The following parts of the body can be imaged using Ultrasound:
• Abdomen: liver, gall bladder, pancreas, spleen major blood vessels.
• Pelvic: reproductive organs, appendix, bladder.
• Obstetrics: rregnancies 1st trimester.
• Superficial structures: thyroid, breast, scrotum.
• Extremities (musculoskeletal): tendons and muscles (shoulder, elbow, knee, ankle, wrist).