My Life as a Sonographer

2007-08-02T10:51:00.000-04:00

Great News!
The abstract that I wrote with Dr. Romero about the use of 3-Dimensional Ultrasound on Neonatal Brains was accepted and I will be presenting it at the RSNA. The RSNA is a national conference in Radiology and is attended by 5-6,000 people in the imaging field. I am including the link to their website. Enjoy!!
http://rsna2007.rsna.org/rsna2007/V2007/index.cvn?id=10000&p_navID=262

Ultrasound for infertility

2007-07-16T10:22:00.001-04:00

Ultrasound technology provides a nonsurgical way of viewing a woman's pelvic organs during various infertility tests and procedures. It uses high-frequency sound waves that travel at different speeds through body organs and tissues. The waves are then reflected back to a detector where they are converted into pictures. The probe (transducer) that is used to assess and help treat infertility-related conditions is placed within the vagina (transvaginal).
A hysterosonogram is done to evaluate the inside of the uterus (endometrial cavity) by filling the uterus with fluid during a transvaginal ultrasound. This procedure is also known as a sonohysterogram.

How Ultrasound Works

2007-07-16T10:09:00.000-04:00

There are many reaons to get an ultrasound. Perhaps you are pregnant, and your obstetrician wants you to have an ultrasound to check on the developing baby or determine the due date. Maybe you are having problems with blood circulation in a limb or your heart, and your doctor has requested a Doppler ultrasound to look at the blood flow. Ultrasound has been a popular medical imaging technique for many years.

Prepare Yourself!

2007-07-09T12:24:00.001-04:00

Proper patient preparation:
Abdominal Ultrasound-Nothing to eat or drink 8 hours prior to your exam.
Pelvic Ultrasound-Drink 16 ounces of clear liquid 1 hour prior to your exam.

2007-07-09T11:49:00.000-04:00

How should I prepare for the procedure?
You should wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing for your ultrasound exam. You will need to remove all clothing and jewelry in the area to be examined.
You may be asked to wear a gown during the procedure.
Tell your doctor if you have had a barium enema or a series of upper GI (gastrointestinal) tests within the past two days. Barium that remains in the intestines can interfere with the ultrasound test.
Other preparations depend on the type of ultrasound you are having.
For a study of the liver, gallbladder, spleen, and pancreas, you may be asked to eat a fat-free meal on the evening before the test and then to avoid eating for eight to 12 hours before the test.
For ultrasound of the kidneys, you may be asked to drink four to six glasses of liquid about an hour before the test to fill your bladder. You may be asked to avoid eating for eight to 12 hours before the test to avoid gas buildup in the intestines.
For ultrasound of the aorta, you may need to avoid eating for eight to 12 hours before the test.

2007-07-09T11:48:00.000-04:00

What is Abdominal Ultrasound Imaging?
Ultrasound imaging, also called ultrasound scanning or sonography, involves exposing part of the body to high-frequency sound waves to produce pictures of the inside of the body. Ultrasound exams do not use ionizing radiation (x-ray). Because ultrasound images are captured in real-time, they can show the structure and movement of the body's internal organs, as well as blood flowing through blood vessels.
Ultrasound imaging is usually a painless medical test that helps physicians diagnose and treat medical conditions.
An abdominal ultrasound produces a picture of the organs and other structures in the upper abdomen.
A Doppler ultrasound study may be part of an abdominal ultrasound examination.
Doppler ultrasound is a special ultrasound technique that evaluates blood as it flows through a blood vessel, including the body's major arteries and veins in the abdomen, arms, legs and neck

2007-06-30T10:30:00.000-04:00

Volume ultrasound:
Useful tool for musculoskeletal, breast and pediatric imaging
Volume ultrasonography has become an established modality in some specialties during the last years. The 'state-of-the-art' high frequency volume ultrasound (HFVU), presently performed using electromechanical transducers, is based on the quick acquisition of a volume data set which can then reviewed and re-processed using various display formats.Despite the lack of fluid in the muscular system, the tool can be useful even for musculoskeletal imaging, affirms Dr Carlo Martinoli, Associate Professor of Radiology at the University of Genoa, who presented the findings of his initial experience with 3D-volume ultrasound during the European Congress of Radiology (ECR) on 10 March."HFVU offers better anatomical rendering of superficial structures", Dr. Martinoli said. "Multiplanar imagining not only improves the presentation of the US information but can also be used as a problem-solving technique for diagnostic benefit."

2007-06-30T10:28:00.000-04:00

The Volume Effect
Everyone's heard the flutter on how volume imaging has changed ultrasound as we know it.
Volume acquisitions. Multi-slice imaging. Multiplanar reformatting. 3D on a workstation. It's easy to get caught up in the excitement of the latest innovations. But what's the real value of volume ultrasound? Quite simply, more diagnostic confidence and improved workflow.
It's seeing things in ways you've never seen before with ultrasound. Finding the exact location of pathology – and viewing it in relation to other anatomy. Knowing you have all the information you need for definitive answers. In effect, using Volume Ultrasound to quiet uncertainty.

2007-06-29T14:28:00.001-04:00

So you want to be a sonographer…
Would you enjoy…
Providing one-on-one care to a variety of people ranging from healthy to critically ill?
Using high-tech instrumentation to create and interpret images from inside the human body that are used by physicians to make a medical diagnosis?
Working as a key member of a health care team?
Committing to life-long learning in order to maintain knowledge and expertise in a rapidly growing health care profession?
http://www.sdms.org/career/career.asp

Abdominal Ultrasound Definition

2007-06-23T14:21:00.000-04:00

Abdominal ultrasound is an imaging procedure used to examine the internal organs of the abdomen including the liver, gallbladder, spleen, pancreas, and kidneys. The blood vessels to some of these organs can also be evaluated with the use of ultrasound techniques.
The ultrasound machine sends out high-frequency sound waves that reflect off body structures to create a picture. Unlike with x-rays, there is no ionizing radiation exposure with this test.
Alternative NamesUltrasound - abdomen; Abdominal sonogram
Why the Test is Performed
There are many reasons for performing an abdominal ultrasound, including looking for the following:
A cause of abdominal pain
Stones in the gallbladder or kidney
A cause for enlargement of an abdominal organ
The reason for the examination will depend on your symptoms.
How the Test is Performed
The test is done in the ultrasound or radiology department. You will be lying down for the procedure. A clear, water-based conducting gel is applied to the skin over the area being examined to help with the transmission of the sound waves. The ultrasound transducer (a handheld probe) is then moved over the abdomen.
You may be asked to move to other positions so the health care provider can examine different areas. You may also be asked to hold your breath for short periods of time during the examination.
The procedure usually takes less than 30 minutes.
How to Prepare for the Test
Preparation for the procedure depends on the nature of the problem and your age. Usually patients are asked to not eat or drink for several hours before the examination. Your health care provider will advise you about specific preparation.
How the Test Will Feel
There is little discomfort. The conducting gel may feel slightly cold and wet.
Risks
There is no documented risk. No ionizing radiation exposure is involved.
Normal Results
The organs examined are normal in appearance.
What Abnormal Results Mean
The significance of abnormal results depends on the organ being examined and the nature of the problem. You should consult your health care provider with any questions and concerns.
Many possible conditions could be revealed by an abdominal ultrasound. Some of these include:
Gallstones
Kidney stones
Cholecystitis
Hydronephrosis
Splenomegaly
Pancreatitis

http://www.drugs.com/enc/abdominal-ultrasound.html

2007-06-23T13:17:00.000-04:00

With Rise in Radiation Exposure, Experts Urge Caution on Tests

By RONI CARYN RABIN
Published: June 19, 2007

Advances in radiology have radically transformed medical practice, with CT scans and nuclear medicine exams providing physicians with the ability to quickly pinpoint internal bleeding, diagnose kidney stones or confirm appendicitis, assess thyroid function and identify and open blockages in the blood vessels to the heart. The downside is that Americans are being exposed to record amounts of ionizing radiation, the most energetic and potentially hazardous form of radiation.
According to a new study, the per-capita dose of ionizing radiation from clinical imaging exams in the United States increased almost 600 percent from 1980 to 2006. In the past, natural background radiation was the leading source of human exposure; that has been displaced by diagnostic imaging procedures, the authors said.
“This is an absolutely sentinel event, a wake-up call,” said Dr. Fred A. Mettler Jr., principal investigator for the study, by the National Council on Radiation Protection. “Medical exposure now dwarfs that of all other sources.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/19/health/19cons.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&adxnnlx=1182619141-uQo+zZWZeOnAoTq4AA2P+Q

Latest Technology

2007-06-17T14:53:00.000-04:00

The latest technology is doing 3 - Dimensional imaging. This includes doing volumes of a particular organ to evaluate it in a third dimension, which is the coronal plane. The current planes that can be acquired are the transverse, which is like a slice of bread. Sagittal, which is like the top of the bread. The coronal plane would be the equivalent of looking into the middle of the loaf. This is especially beneficial to determine the extent of pathology, ie tumor invasion and also plaque pattern within a vessel.

Regulatory Agencies

2007-06-17T14:42:00.000-04:00

CAAHEP - Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs. http://www.caahep.org/.

ARDMS - American Registryof Diagnostic Medical Sonographers

SDMS - Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers. http://www.sdms.org/career/default.asp

Quick Ultrasound Facts

2007-06-17T13:59:00.000-04:00

Ultrasound is an imaging modality that does not use radiation. This is a non-invasive way to view solid organs, babies, arteries, and veins within the body. These organs are viewed using high frequency sound waves.