Ultrasound

Ultrasound is a widely available, medical imaging technique that has been used for years. Fast, painless and safe, ultrasound uses high frequency sound waves instead of radiation for obtaining images of the inside of the body. The sound waves bounce off the part of body being imaged and these reflected sound waves, or echoes, are captured and recorded.

Ultrasound can be helpful when your doctor needs to diagnose certain symptoms such as: pain, swelling or infection. It can be used to guide procedures such as needle biopsies.

Ultrasound offers images in real time. This means it can show the movement of internal tissues, organs and blood vessels. For example, your physician can see blood flow and heart valve function. It is commonly used for imaging the liver, gallbladder, spleen, pancreas and kidneys.

Ultrasound is also used to detect breast abnormalities such as whether a lump is a cyst or solid. It can further evaluate a problem seen on a mammogram because it can show all areas of the breast, including the area closest to the chest wall which is hard to see with a mammogram alone.

4-D ultrasound is a state-of-the-art imaging system that offers 3-D images in real time. During pregnancy, this allows you to not only see the baby more clearly than ever before, but to to also watch the baby's movements and get a complete picture of his/her overall health.

4-D ultrasound allows us to provide unprecedented images of so much more than babies. This advanced technology can be used in diagnostic imaging related to:

• Peripheral vascular disease
• Abdominal aorta aneurysm
• Carotid arteries
• Breast cancer
• Thyroid disease
• Gallbladder conditions