What are some common uses of the procedure?
Ultrasound examinations can help to diagnose a variety of conditions and to assess organ damage following illness.
Ultrasound is used to help physicians evaluate symptoms such as:
pain
swelling
infection
Ultrasound is a useful way of examining many of the body's internal organs, including but not limited to the:
heart and blood vessels, including the abdominal aorta and its major branches
uterus, ovaries, and unborn child (fetus) in pregnant patients
eyes
scrotum (testicles)
brain in infants
hips in infants
spine in infants
Ultrasound is also used to:
guide procedures such as needle biopsies, in which needles are used to sample cells from an abnormal area for laboratory testing.
image the breasts and guide biopsy of breast cancer (see the Ultrasound-Guided Breast Biopsy page.
diagnose a variety of heart conditions, including valve problems and congestive heart failure, and to assess damage after a heart attack. Ultrasound of the heart is commonly called an “echocardiogram” or “echo” for short.
Doppler ultrasound images can help the physician to see and evaluate:
blockages to blood flow (such as clots)
narrowing of vessels
tumors and congenital vascular malformations
reduced or absent blood flow to various organs
greater than normal blood flow to different areas, which is sometimes seen in infections
With knowledge about the speed and volume of blood flow gained from a Doppler ultrasound image, the physician can often determine whether a patient is a good candidate for a procedure like angioplasty.
