Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsTypes and UsesHow It WorksDuring an UltrasoundResultsUltrasound Technicians
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Types and Uses
How It Works
During an Ultrasound
Results
Ultrasound Technicians
Healthcare providers use ultrasound testing for various reasons, including monitoring the growth and development of a fetus, diagnosing a health condition, or guiding an internal procedure or surgery.
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Ultrasound Types and Uses
There are different types of ultrasounds based on your health needs. Your healthcare provider may recommend an ultrasound test to monitor pregnancy, diagnose a condition, assist with a procedure, or provide therapeutic benefits.
Pregnancy
A pregnancy ultrasound produces an image of the fetus to monitor growth and development. An ultrasound test can detect some genetic and non-genetic conditions and developmental variations. It can also show the fetus’s size, position, and heart rate.
Diagnosis
A diagnostic ultrasound produces images inside the body to detect certain health conditions. An ultrasound can diagnose health conditions that involve soft tissues like organs, blood vessels, and glands. A diagnostic ultrasound may be used to examine a growth or tumor, find a blood vessel blockage, or determine the cause of swelling.
Two types of diagnostic ultrasounds are:
What Endometriosis Ultrasounds Detect
Guidance
An ultrasound may be a helpful resource during biopsies and certain procedures. The ultrasound can provide an image of the area of concern. Healthcare providers may use ultrasound technology to guide aneedle biopsyto remove fluid or tissue. An ultrasound can help guide the needle to the correct area of the body.
Therapeutic
Atherapeutic ultrasounduses sound waves to interact with the tissues in the body. It does not provide images. It is used to treat certain health conditions.
Therapeutic ultrasound can provide heat to move tissues, dissolve blood clots, and help medication be absorbed into the body’s tissues. Physical therapists may use therapeutic ultrasound to provide pain relief or treat inflammation.
How Ultrasound Technology Works
During an Ultrasound: What Happens
An ultrasound is a standard test used for a variety of reasons. The length of the test depends on the reason for the procedure.
Most ultrasounds are conducted in a medical office, clinic, or hospital setting. A sonographer or ultrasound technician often performs the test. This technician has special training in performing ultrasound exams, but they do not interpret results. A healthcare provider may also be able to perform an ultrasound and interpret its results.
To start the exam, they will ask you to remove any clothing covering the area of the body being examined. You will likely be asked to lie on an exam table. Your position may depend on which area of the body is being examined.
The technician will spread a special gel on your skin. This gel is needed to prevent air pockets and to transmit sound waves.
Once the gel is applied, the ultrasound tech will move a wand-shaped tool called a transducer over your skin. During the exam, the ultrasound tech will look at images on a monitor. Once the exam is complete, the provider will wipe the gel off your skin. After an ultrasound, you can drive yourself home with no restrictions.
Many ultrasounds are noninvasive. An invasive ultrasound (when the transducer is placed inside a body cavity) may be needed to examine the:
Ultrasound exams are usually not painful. However, an invasive ultrasound may feel uncomfortable.
Ultrasound PreparationAsk your healthcare provider if you need to do anything to prepare for your ultrasound. For an abdomen ultrasound, your provider may recommend fasting (not eating) for up to 12 hours. For abladder ultrasound, you may be asked to drink water to ensure the bladder is full for the exam.
Ultrasound Preparation
Ask your healthcare provider if you need to do anything to prepare for your ultrasound. For an abdomen ultrasound, your provider may recommend fasting (not eating) for up to 12 hours. For abladder ultrasound, you may be asked to drink water to ensure the bladder is full for the exam.
Ultrasound Results
Your healthcare provider will explain your ultrasound results after your exam. They may share results with you during the exam, depending on what they see on the monitor.
The results of a pregnancy ultrasound can tell you if the fetus is developing and growing as expected. Abnormal results may indicate that you need further testing or more specialized care.
If you receive abnormal ultrasound results, you may require additional testing like acomputed tomography (CT) scanormagnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Your healthcare provider will explain your results and what they mean.
Role of an Ultrasound Technician
An ultrasound technician, also known as an ultrasound tech or sonographer, has education and training in conducting ultrasound tests.An ultrasound tech is not trained to determine a diagnosis based on ultrasound test findings.
During an ultrasound test, feel free to ask your technician questions. Keep in mind that they may need to refer you to your primary healthcare provider or specialist for questions about test results.
Summary
Ultrasound testing, also known as sonography, is a medical test that uses sound waves to produce pictures of organs, blood vessels, or tissues inside the body. An ultrasound technician performs an ultrasound test using a tool called a transducer. This tool emits sound waves that bounce off of the body’s tissues. The transducer also detects the echos this “bounce” creates to produce images.
A healthcare provider may recommend ultrasound testing for many reasons. All pregnant people receive one or more ultrasounds to monitor the fetus’s growth and development. Ultrasound testing can also be used to diagnose certain health conditions, guide invasive procedures, and provide therapeutic results.
Ultrasound tests are performed on an outpatient basis. They do not use radiation and are often painless. However, some ultrasounds may feel uncomfortable. Talk with your healthcare provider about your ultrasound results and what they mean.
What to Expect During an Echocardiogram
6 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.MedlinePlus.Ultrasound.Esteves KM, Tugarinov N, Lechmann G, et al.The value of detailed first-trimester ultrasound in the era of noninvasive prenatal testing.Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2023;229(3):326.e1-326.e6. doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2023.05.031Nicolaides AN, Panayiotou AG, Griffin M, et al.Arterial ultrasound testing to predict atherosclerotic cardiovascular events.J Am Coll Cardiol. 2022;79(20):1969-1982. doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2022.03.352National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering.Ultrasound.U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Ultrasound Imaging.American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography.How to become a sonographer.
6 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.MedlinePlus.Ultrasound.Esteves KM, Tugarinov N, Lechmann G, et al.The value of detailed first-trimester ultrasound in the era of noninvasive prenatal testing.Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2023;229(3):326.e1-326.e6. doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2023.05.031Nicolaides AN, Panayiotou AG, Griffin M, et al.Arterial ultrasound testing to predict atherosclerotic cardiovascular events.J Am Coll Cardiol. 2022;79(20):1969-1982. doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2022.03.352National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering.Ultrasound.U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Ultrasound Imaging.American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography.How to become a sonographer.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
MedlinePlus.Ultrasound.Esteves KM, Tugarinov N, Lechmann G, et al.The value of detailed first-trimester ultrasound in the era of noninvasive prenatal testing.Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2023;229(3):326.e1-326.e6. doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2023.05.031Nicolaides AN, Panayiotou AG, Griffin M, et al.Arterial ultrasound testing to predict atherosclerotic cardiovascular events.J Am Coll Cardiol. 2022;79(20):1969-1982. doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2022.03.352National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering.Ultrasound.U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Ultrasound Imaging.American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography.How to become a sonographer.
MedlinePlus.Ultrasound.
Esteves KM, Tugarinov N, Lechmann G, et al.The value of detailed first-trimester ultrasound in the era of noninvasive prenatal testing.Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2023;229(3):326.e1-326.e6. doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2023.05.031
Nicolaides AN, Panayiotou AG, Griffin M, et al.Arterial ultrasound testing to predict atherosclerotic cardiovascular events.J Am Coll Cardiol. 2022;79(20):1969-1982. doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2022.03.352
National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering.Ultrasound.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Ultrasound Imaging.
American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography.How to become a sonographer.
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