Our Services
Ultrasound
| Abdominal Ultrasound Doppler Ultrasound Pelvic Ultrasound |
Breast Ultrasound Vascular Duplex Ultrasound |
Ultrasound (US) or sonography is an imaging modality that utilizes high frequency sound waves which are reflected off internal organs and tissue to create a medical image of the various organs and tissues. It is a painless procedure which creates very precise images. Ultrasound can be used to monitor internal motion of heart rate and blood flow.
A transducer is pressed against the skin which functions to direct sound waves into the body and transmit and record sound wave echoes. This information is transferred to a computer for processing a picture which depicts a frozen series of images. Ultrasound scanners consist of a computer console with a computer and electronic monitoring equipment, a video display screen to view the test and the transducer which is attached to the scanner by a cord. A lubricating gel is applied to the skin to the areas the transducer will cover.
Abdominal Ultrasound:
Common uses for abdominal ultrasound include evaluation of the kidneys, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, spleen and blood vessels of the abdomen to determine the source of abdominal pain, such as gall stones or kidney stones, inflamed appendix and causes of enlargement of abdominal organs.
Doppler Ultrasound:
Doppler ultrasound is a study that examines the major blood vessels in order to determine blockages to blood flow caused by clots, build up of plaque or congenital malformations. These studies can also be used to display vascular flow and the relationship to surrounding masses.
Pelvic Ultrasound:
Pelvic ultrasound is used often for women to examine the uterus and ovaries, and to monitor the health of the fetus during pregnancy. The scan can determine causes for pelvic pain associated with abnormal bleeding or other menstrual problems and is used to identify and assess cysts, fibroid growth and ovarian and uterine cancers.
Pelvic ultrasound is used to focus on the bladder and prostate gland in men. The pelvic contains some of the largest blood vessels in the body and ultrasound is often used to evaluate blood flow.
There are three methods utilized to perform pelvic ultrasound: 1) Transabdominal which is sweeps back and forth over the abdomen; 2) Transvaginal which involves insertion of the transducer much like a gynecologic exam for vaginal imaging; 3) Transrectally which involves insertion of the transducer in the rectum for prostate imaging. If a lesion is identified with these exams, an ultrasound-guided biopsy is often performed to extract a small amount of tissue for further examination.
Breast Ultrasound:
Ultrasound is a painless, non-invasive form of imaging that utilized high frequency sound waves to obtain a medical image of breast tissue. It produces very precise image of soft tissues for a more accurate view of the breast tissue. Ultrasound can determine whether a mass is cystic or solid and can assist in characterizing whether the mass is more likely to be benign or cancerous.
Vascular Duplex Ultrasound:
A vascular duplex ultrasound uses sound waves that bounce off blood vessels to create an image.
Carotid Duplex ultrasound is used to look for plaque and blockages within the carotid arteries. The carotid arteries carry blood to the brain and are located within the neck.
Venous Duplex ultrasound is used to detect blood clots in the venous system (veins) of the upper or lower extremities.
Renal Artery Duplex ultrasound examines the arteries that lead to the kidneys. These arteries are located within the abdomen. An 8-hour fasting prep is required for this exam.
Mesenteric Artery Duplex ultrasound examines the arteries that supply blood flow to your large and small intestines. An 8-hour fasting prep is required for this exam.
Abdominal Aorta Duplex ultrasound is used to evaluate or detect the presence of an aneurysm or blockage within the abdominal aorta. An 8-hour fasting prep is required for this exam.
