Duties of a Diagnostic Medical Sonographer

Medical sonography is a form of radiology used to assess and diagnose medical conditions. Sonographers meet with patients whose physicians have ordered sonograms and take sonographic images to help physicians with their diagnoses. They are responsible for all of the radiological aspects of their patients, including caring for the patient, performing the procedure, capturing accurate images and maintaining the patient's records.

Function

Sonographers use sound waves to create images used to diagnose medical conditions. Sonography is mostly known for its use in the obstetrics and gynecology fields, but the technology is used in all medical fields.

Meet With Patients

Sonographers meet with individual patients to explain the procedure and record any relevant medical history regarding the condition being investigated. They then help prepare and position the patient for the procedure.

Perform the Sonography Procedure

The sonography procedure is performed by running a transducer over a specific area of the body, which emits sound waves. Depending on the area being examined, the sonographer may spread a gel on the patient's skin to facilitate the transmission.

Prepare Sonographic Images

As the images from the transducer appear on a screen, sonographers look for signs of healthy and unhealthy conditions. They then capture frames of the images, mark the signs they see and include any measurements or calculations they make on the image.

Keep Records

Sonographers are directly responsible for keeping the patient's records for the exam. They must ensure accuracy both for their own record keeping and for the records sent to the ordering physicians.