Medical Sonography Information
Medical sonography, also known as ultrasound or ultrasonography, uses specialized technology to scan areas of the human body. Using a transducer, a hand-held scanner, the technician examines the area in question and the echo from the high-frequency sound waves are transmitted to a computer to be converted into images. Sonography is best known for its use in obstetrics to monitor the development of a fetus during pregnancy. However, sonography is widely used as a non-invasive means to examine, diagnose and treat a variety of medical situations and problems. Within the sonography field there are several areas of specialization.
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Breast Sonography
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Breast sonography is used to detect cancer and tumors, pinpoint problem areas and monitor the blood supply. Using ultrasound equipment that has excellent contrast and spatial resolution, the breast sonography technician scans the breast to detect cancer and tumors, pinpoint problem areas and monitor blood supply. As the breast is scanned, data is transmitted to a computer that turns the information into an image. While the sonographer is highly-trained and knowledgeable concerning the procedure, she cannot talk about the images or the results, which must be interpreted by a physician/radiologist.
Abdominal Sonography
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Abdominal sonography is typically used to scan the kidneys, spleen, gallbladder, liver, pancreas and abdominal aorta or abdominal blood vessels. Abdominal sonography is typically used to scan the kidneys, spleen, gallbladder, liver, pancreas and abdominal aorta or abdominal blood vessels. The technician uses a transducer to examine the area in question usually seeking to detect abnormalities such as enlarged organs, aneurysms, kidney or gallbladder stones and other abdominal irregularities.
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Neurosonography
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Neurosonography is an ultrasound scan of the human brain or nervous system. Just as its name implies, neurosonography is an ultrasound scan of the human brain or nervous system. It is often used to diagnose neurological disorders in babies born prematurely or to check infants for sickle-cell anemia or possible stroke. The neurosonography technician’s equipment appears the same as other sonography technology. For brain and nervous systems scans, however, the ultrasound frequencies are different from the beams and frequencies used in abdominal or obstetric sonography.
Obstetric Sonography
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Obstetrical sonography or ultrasound is the most widely recognized of the sonography specialties. Obstetrical sonography or ultrasound is the most widely recognized of the sonography specialties. Used most commonly to scan a fetus in a woman’s womb to determine its development and to find any abnormalities, obstetrical sonography is also used to check various aspects of the pregnancy such as the position of the placenta, the quantity of amniotic fluid in the womb, problems with the cervix and other potential concerns.
Sonography Education
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Individuals interested in medical sonography can find programs at community and technical colleges, universities, hospitals and in the military. Individuals interested in medical sonography can find programs at community and technical colleges, universities, hospitals and in the military. There are two- and four-year programs, although the most common are two-year programs at community and technical colleges. A few one-year certificate programs are offered, but a certificate does not carry the same weight with many employers as a degree. Most institutions require a high school education heavy in math and science or college courses in the same. Typically, sonographers take courses in anatomy and physiology, physics and chemistry, sonography technology, as well as patient care and ethics.
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