Medical abbreviation:
None
Type:
Radiology
Definition:
An imaging technique used to image the internal organs of the body using the principles of sonar.
When would I need this test?
Doctors use ultrasound to look closely at soft tissue structures like the liver, gall bladder, pancreas, spleen, abdominal aorta, pelvic organs, kidneys, testicles and various soft tissue lumps. Doctors also use ultrasound to aid in procedures such as needle biopsies. Ultrasound imaging is very safe and there are no known harmful effects on humans. The test involves rubbing a probe (usually with some gel placed on the skin) over the skin, which transmits sound waves through the skin and also picks up any echoes. This information is passed to the computer which translates this information into images on the screen.
