- The first ultrasound was done on the human body (for medical purposes) by Dr. George Ludwig. It was performed in the late 1940s at the Naval Medical Research Institute in Bethesda, Maryland. With the emergence of color Doppler ultrasound by Geoff Stevenson a few years later, ultrasonic medicine shifted greatly. After Ludwig's initial procedure was a success, other countries around the world began utilizing ultrasonic imaging.
- Sonographers are often called upon when a doctor needs a non-invasive way of looking at a specific area of the internal body. Because sonographers are often required to have knowledge on many areas of the body, they must be educated in overall anatomy and physiology. In any given day they may be performing imaging services on up to ten different body parts and areas. The images can assist doctors in diagnosing and treating hundreds of illnesses and diseases.
- Sonographers often have an area of specialty. If they aren't general sonographers (most often working in a hospital) they can specialize in cardiac, obstetrical or vascular sonography. Each sonographer has great responsibility in the diagnostic process and should take the job very seriously. From pre-natal ultrasounds to attempting to detect cysts or blood clots, the seriousness of ultrasonic evaluation is often vital to a patient's health.
- In the United States, specialists in medical ultrasonography are often called Ultrasound Technologists. However, in other areas of the world the term "sonographer" is still widely used. These professionals are required to be educated in cross sectional anatomy, physiology, pathology, communication and psycho-motor skill areas.
- While being a sonographer is quite safe, nearly 82% will develop some sort of repetitive motion injury due to the nature of the job. The constant pressure and movement of the transducer to obtain sonographic images can lead to this type of injury. However, with rest the condition often corrects itself. Thus, being a sonographer is rather safe overall. There is no known risk of being around ultrasonic equipment (unlike other radiology equipment with known radiation risks).
