The Many Uses of Ultrasound in Medicine
Ultrasound is well-known for its use in obstetrics, but very few people realize just how popular it has become for a variety of other diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. While just about everyone is familiar with the picture of a baby as it is developing inside the mother's womb, not many of us would recognize an ultrasound image of blood as it flows through the heart and vessels or an image of a joint that has been damaged and is in need of repair.
To get a better idea of why ultrasound has become widespread in medicine, one must have an understanding of the basic concept of ultrasound. Unlike traditional types of imaging which use radiation to create images, ultrasound uses sound waves to create images. While we as humans rely heavily on our ability to hear sound, the waves used in ultrasound exist outside our ability to detect them.
When an ultrasound technician performs an ultrasound procedure, a device known as a transducer is placed on the area of the body that is being imaged. This transducer emits sound waves that travel into the body and are reflected by varying tissues. The reflected sound waves travel back to the transducer which then converts the waves into electrical signals. These signals travel along a cord to a computer that is designed specifically to interpret the signals. The computer then uses the signals to create the image that we see on the monitor.
The therapeutic use of ultrasound in healthcare was first discovered during World War II while scientists were using sound waves to help guide military submarines through enemy waters. Someone noticed that the sound waves were exerting a heating affect on fish which was leading to their death. Researches then began to question whether this property of sound waves could be used to relax tense muscles and relieve pain in humans. Physical and occupational therapists have been using ultrasound for this purpose ever since.
As time went on, researchers and clinicians discovered that sound waves could be used to construct images of the inside of people's bodies. These images could then be used to make very important decisions about a patient's health and whether or not specific types of treatment were needed. Today, physicians in a variety of different medical specialties are using ultrasound for both its diagnostic and therapeutic properties.
Ultrasound is commonly used in surgery, critical care, cardiology, anesthesiology, and emergency medicine. Specialists in these fields have found ultrasound to be extremely helpful in guiding needles and other devices into the body, visualizing blood as it flows through the heart and vessels, and assessing whether or not a patient has been losing blood inside their body because of a traumatic event. There are many more applications of ultrasound in medicine that could create a list that would go on for days.
One of the main reasons that ultrasound has become so popular is the fact that it uses sound waves instead of radiation to create images. Techniques like x-ray, magnetic resonance imaging, and computed tomography all place patients at risk of experiencing the negative health affects of radiation exposure. Ultrasound eliminates this risk for both patients and healthcare professionals. This means that ultrasound is much safer to use for everyone involved.
Ultrasound is also extremely cheap compared to traditional forms of imaging. Basic ultrasound therapy [http://www.ultrasoundtherapy.org/] procedures will generally cost a few hundred dollars while a CT or MRI can easily run into the thousands of dollars for even the most basic procedure. In a time when healthcare costs have come under enormous scrutiny, healthcare facilities are quickly trying to come up with ways to cut costs while preserving quality of care. Ultrasound represents one of the ways they are accomplishing this task.
Lastly, ultrasound is very easily transported to any area of the healthcare facility. Other types of imaging commonly required large rooms that are dedicated to the housing huge pieces of equipment. These types of equipment cannot be transported and require that patients be subjected to uncomfortable situations where claustrophobia becomes an issue. Ultrasound has no of these restrictions and it can easily be brought to the patient's bedside. This is an extremely important quality in emergent situations where the difference between life and death is a matter of minutes.
New applications for ultrasound in medicine are being discovered each and every day. As ultrasound continues to expand, there will be an increasing need for qualified ultrasound technicians also known as diagnostic medical sonographers. Currently, this field is one of the most in demand allied health career opportunities. Individuals who work as ultrasound technicians enjoy one of the highest ancillary care salaries available.
To get a better idea of why ultrasound has become widespread in medicine, one must have an understanding of the basic concept of ultrasound. Unlike traditional types of imaging which use radiation to create images, ultrasound uses sound waves to create images. While we as humans rely heavily on our ability to hear sound, the waves used in ultrasound exist outside our ability to detect them.
When an ultrasound technician performs an ultrasound procedure, a device known as a transducer is placed on the area of the body that is being imaged. This transducer emits sound waves that travel into the body and are reflected by varying tissues. The reflected sound waves travel back to the transducer which then converts the waves into electrical signals. These signals travel along a cord to a computer that is designed specifically to interpret the signals. The computer then uses the signals to create the image that we see on the monitor.
The therapeutic use of ultrasound in healthcare was first discovered during World War II while scientists were using sound waves to help guide military submarines through enemy waters. Someone noticed that the sound waves were exerting a heating affect on fish which was leading to their death. Researches then began to question whether this property of sound waves could be used to relax tense muscles and relieve pain in humans. Physical and occupational therapists have been using ultrasound for this purpose ever since.
As time went on, researchers and clinicians discovered that sound waves could be used to construct images of the inside of people's bodies. These images could then be used to make very important decisions about a patient's health and whether or not specific types of treatment were needed. Today, physicians in a variety of different medical specialties are using ultrasound for both its diagnostic and therapeutic properties.
Ultrasound is commonly used in surgery, critical care, cardiology, anesthesiology, and emergency medicine. Specialists in these fields have found ultrasound to be extremely helpful in guiding needles and other devices into the body, visualizing blood as it flows through the heart and vessels, and assessing whether or not a patient has been losing blood inside their body because of a traumatic event. There are many more applications of ultrasound in medicine that could create a list that would go on for days.
One of the main reasons that ultrasound has become so popular is the fact that it uses sound waves instead of radiation to create images. Techniques like x-ray, magnetic resonance imaging, and computed tomography all place patients at risk of experiencing the negative health affects of radiation exposure. Ultrasound eliminates this risk for both patients and healthcare professionals. This means that ultrasound is much safer to use for everyone involved.
Ultrasound is also extremely cheap compared to traditional forms of imaging. Basic ultrasound therapy [http://www.ultrasoundtherapy.org/] procedures will generally cost a few hundred dollars while a CT or MRI can easily run into the thousands of dollars for even the most basic procedure. In a time when healthcare costs have come under enormous scrutiny, healthcare facilities are quickly trying to come up with ways to cut costs while preserving quality of care. Ultrasound represents one of the ways they are accomplishing this task.
Lastly, ultrasound is very easily transported to any area of the healthcare facility. Other types of imaging commonly required large rooms that are dedicated to the housing huge pieces of equipment. These types of equipment cannot be transported and require that patients be subjected to uncomfortable situations where claustrophobia becomes an issue. Ultrasound has no of these restrictions and it can easily be brought to the patient's bedside. This is an extremely important quality in emergent situations where the difference between life and death is a matter of minutes.
New applications for ultrasound in medicine are being discovered each and every day. As ultrasound continues to expand, there will be an increasing need for qualified ultrasound technicians also known as diagnostic medical sonographers. Currently, this field is one of the most in demand allied health career opportunities. Individuals who work as ultrasound technicians enjoy one of the highest ancillary care salaries available.
