Various ultrasound tech specialties are available for the high school graduates and young professionals who are interested to pursue sonography career. Aside from the common knowledge that ultrasound is designated for pregnant women and unborn babies, ultrasound machines today are used for the diagnosis of different diseases patients could have. Development of technology has created several ways to detect diseases by means of non-invasive sound waves, which are proven safe for the patient’s health. Today, even diseases of the tiniest veins are detected immediately by means of ultrasound. In this article, the different ultrasound technology sub-specialties such as abdominal ultrasound, breast ultrasound, cardiac ultrasound (Echocardiography), neurosonography, obstetric and gynecologic ultrasound and vascular ultrasound will be discussed in order to provide information on the difference among the ultrasound specialties.
1. Abdominal Ultrasound
The field of abdominal sonography involves the diagnosis of the different diseases and problems regarding internal organs such as the kidneys, pancreas, liver, gall bladder, spleen and bile ducts. The ultrasound sonographers in the vascular ultrasound field also diagnose the male reproductive system diseases and problems. The main responsibility of the diagnostic medical sonographer in the vascular sonography field is to detect diseases such as inflamed abdominal organs, stones in the gall bladder or even abdominal aorta aneurysm by using the Doppler ultrasound. Needle biopsies are done in order to monitor the blood flow of the patients.
2. Breast Ultrasound
During a mammography test performed by a licensed medical physician, there may be breast abnormalities or inconsistencies detected. The use of breast ultrasound is limited to finding out if the breast inconsistency is either fluid or solid. With this, the doctor may diagnose whether the abnormality is a cancerous tumor or a cyst that is benign. However, there are cases where ultrasound in the breast cannot be identified if the breast abnormality, the doctor may then suggest to have a biopsy in order to study the cells that cause the tumor. The examination of the cells is done under the microscope. This invasive procedure is more effective in the diagnosis of any breast inconsistency versus the simple Doppler method.
3. Cardiac Ultrasound Or Echocardiography
Diagnosis of the various diseases in the human heart is done through the sonography procedures called echocardiograms. With the cardiac ultrasound procedures, the patient is examined through the blood flow monitoring and heart activity examination. Identification of the heart valves and muscle tissue health is also included in the echocardiograms. Just like other specialized ultrasound procedures, Doppler ultrasound is used to monitor the real-time activity of the heart
4. Neurosonography
Central nervous system diseases, abnormality and irregularities are diagnosed by means of nervous system blood vessel examination. With this kind of ultrasound procedures, stroke or brain aneurysm can be detected by the medical sonographers. This is commonly used for premature infants who can have abnormalities in the nervous system as well as sickle-cell anemia stroke.
5. Obstetric And Gynecologic Ultrasound
This is the most common ultrasound tech specialties, which involves fetal imaging. Fetal imaging is important to determine if the fetus inside the womb of a pregnant woman is healthy or is having birth defects signs. Diseases of the reproductive system of the women are also diagnosed in this ultrasound procedure.
6. Vascular Ultrasound
The field of vascular ultrasound tech specialties involves the detection of the complex veins and arteries abnormalities and diseases. With the use of Doppler ultrasound, examination of the blood flow in the veins and arteries to determine any blockage or coagulation.
Ultrasound tech specialties sonography offer safer procedures not like other medical diagnosis where radiation is involved. Since patients are becoming more aware of safer procedures to be diagnosed and cured, the ultrasound specialties have a long way to go in order to prove its importance in the Medicine industry.
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