A doctor uses ultrasound, also known as sonography, to help diagnose medical conditions. It’s a non-invasive test that uses sound waves and a computer to produce images of soft tissue, bones and blood vessels. It’s often used to evaluate organs and bones, especially during pregnancy.
Pregnancy: What Does an Ultrasound Do?
Ultrasound, or sonography, is a safe and painless procedure that lets doctors look at your body without surgery. It can also be used to diagnose and treat a variety of problems, such as a tumor or an enlarged lymph node.
During an ultrasound, a doctor or nurse rubs a special probe over your skin, called a transducer. This device emits and receives sound waves, which are reflected to the transducer’s computer. The computer calculates the distance between the bone, fluid or tissue and the transducer to produce a two-dimensional image.
Your doctor or nurse may also apply a clear, water-based gel to the area that will be scanned to prevent air pockets from forming between the probe and your skin. This will also make it easier for the doctor to see the ultrasound image.
When You Are a Woman and You Want to Know What’s Going On in Your Body
Ultrasound Walk in Clinic is often used to detect early signs of a problem during pregnancy, such as if the baby is growing too fast or not enough. It can also tell if you have an ectopic pregnancy, which is when the baby attaches outside of the uterus. It can be dangerous if not treated promptly.
Before the ultrasound, you may be asked to remove any jewelry near the area that will be examined and change into a gown. You should also drink plenty of water to make sure you have a full bladder before the ultrasound.
Gender Reveals and 3D/4D Ultrasounds:
If you are a woman, you have the right to know your baby’s gender. Using ultrasound to determine your sex is a safe and non-invasive way to do it.
A healthcare provider can perform this exam in an office, hospital or at home to show your baby’s gender on the screen. Besides showing your baby’s gender, this ultrasound can also reveal the location of your fetus’s heartbeat, which can confirm the viability of your pregnancy.
This ultrasound can also help your physician identify any abnormalities in the fetus’s bones, such as a birth defect or a hole in the fetus’s skull.
Your health care provider may recommend a second ultrasound at about 20 weeks pregnant to monitor your pregnancy and check your baby’s growth and development. This ultrasound can also check for congenital conditions and measure the amount of amniotic fluid, which is the liquid that surrounds the fetus throughout pregnancy.
You may be able to choose between a standard ultrasound, which gives you images of your baby’s head and arms, and a three-dimensional or four-dimensional ultrasound that shows a lot more information. The three-dimensional and four-dimensional images can be useful for evaluating fetal issues such as facial and skeletal defects, or other medical issues like polyps and fibroids.