Ultrasonic

At the Ultrasonic or at the Ultrasound examination or Sonography it is a high-frequency sound, the frequencies of which are above human hearing. The examination by ultrasound is also used in medicine Sonography called and is one of the so-called imaging procedures.

Definition & functionality

The best known is sonography for the ultrasound examination during pregnancy. However, sonography is also used for many other diseases. Click to enlarge.

The application of the Ultrasonic is carried out by ultrasound devices that have a sound head. The shapes of attachments on these devices differ according to their area of ​​application: While devices that are used on the body surface usually have flat-shaped attachments, attachments that are used inside the body (for example in the rectum) are ergonomically shaped.

If the sound waves of the ultrasound act on organic tissue or liquids, for example, they are either reflected, absorbed (recorded) or the sound passes through the corresponding organic material, depending on the nature of the tissue.

Due to the resulting sound of different strengths that hits an ultrasound device, it is possible to reproduce this data in images. This is usually done by different degrees of gray tones; Tissue that sends the sound back more strongly appears lighter in the image, while the rest of the tissue appears darker.

application

Sonography is also used to document and provide information about diagnostics, differential diagnostics and the course of almost every disease. In the picture: sonography of the shoulder region. Click to enlarge.

In medicine, the Ultrasonic used in many ways; For example, it functions as a diagnostic tool, but also as a means for tissue sections such as biopsies.

Ultrasound can be used effectively in different ways: While it allows very good data for tissue with good blood circulation, for example, ultrasound is not very suitable for depicting tissue that is surrounded by bones or contains gases; such as the brain, the lungs or the bone marrow. In some cases, organs can only be recognized by ultrasound when the organ is enlarged; the existing enlargement can thus be diagnosed.

The classic area of ​​application is the follow-up of pregnancy - the so-called prenatal diagnosis. In this way, the stage of development, size and a correspondingly healthy organ development of the unborn child can be observed. In addition to the two-dimensional display, there are ultrasound methods that create three-dimensional or even four-dimensional images.

Ultrasound can also be used to detect foci that are suspected of being cancerous. Ultrasound is also used in gynecology and urology to examine internal organs such as the ovaries or prostate. Other possibilities of ultrasound are to determine the width of blood vessels - such as in the case of existing vein problems.

Examinations on organs such as the thyroid gland or the heart are also possible. As part of necessary biopsies, body tissue can be removed using the ultrasound; Body fluids can also be withdrawn.

Side effects & dangers

In contrast to other imaging methods, such as X-rays, the use of Ultrasonic Almost harmless to the patient and the treating person. A side effect that ultrasound treatment can have is the production of heat in the body due to the sound acting on it.

Such possible local body warming, which can reach a value of around 1.5 degrees Celsius, is not harmful to health and is released again via the bloodstream, among other things. Nevertheless, it is recommended not to prolong treatment with ultrasound for too long and to observe appropriate guidelines as a preventive measure.

Another possible, but rarely occurring, side effect can be that accumulations of gas in the body burst under the effects of sound, which can affect surrounding organs. Such an effect is sought, for example, with ultrasound, which is used in a non-medical environment and with a cleaning effect.