2012年5月10日 星期四

Ultrasound Probes - The Doctor's New Tool


The ultrasound machine or US machine is one the most useful and versatile types of medical equipment. Using high frequency inaudible sound waves delivered by means of ultrasound probes, these devices can be used to diagnose diseases and abnormalities, monitor pregnancy and other normal functions, and can even be used to deliver therapy.

The often-preferred method of taking a look inside the body is ultrasound. X-rays are useful, but the radiation produced by x-ray is of some concern and may pose more risk to some patients than others. Ultrasound has no such known risks. An ultrasound can't be used in the place of x-rays in every scenario, but for many applications it is actually better. The "ultra" in "ultrasound" refers to sound that is beyond the range of human hearing. Echoes reflect sound waves back to the ultrasound transducer, creating a picture of what is there. Both industrial and medical fields have found various uses for ultrasound in the past.

The technician uses a specially formulated conducting gel to allow the ultrasound probe (transducer) to keep in continuous contact with the skin. A similar probe provides even higher amounts of ultrasound when it is utilized for physiotherapy purposes. It warms the contact surface by means of vibrations produced by these high speed sonic currents. This, in turn, increases circulation and alleviates pain and inflammation such as is found in cases of soft tissue injury. It is necessary to maintain the probe's constant motion and limit the length of each ultrasound therapy session in order to avoid overheating any area under treatment.

Medical ultrasound is often used to diagnose conditions such as appendicitis and gall bladder disease rapidly and easily. In appendicitis, the US may be able to confirm a diagnosis faster than with blood testing for the infection and works better than x-ray or CT scanning and is less expensive. It is standard to obtain an US image whenever gallstones or other gall bladder problems are suspected.

Everyone knows that ultrasounds are heavily used at the OB office to detect, observe, and even diagnose pregnancies. Ultrasound probes and lubricating gels, usually when the woman has a full bladder, can easily get a good look at the female reproductive system. Using ultrasound, a practitioner can quickly and accurately give the size and gender of a fetus, placenta location, and detect any abnormalities with the pregnancy or its location.

The heart can be scanned using ultrasound. In most cases, a probe is passed over the chest and an echocardiogram of the flow of blood is taken. A TEE (transesophageal echocardiogram) is more precise and is carried out by inserting a probe down the throat and taking the image from the inside. It is easier to detect conditions such as aneurysms by using this method, but patients have to be unconscious in order for it to be carried out.




As far as medical equipment is concerned, ultrasound is often preferred to x-ray because no possibly harmful ionizing radiation is produced by ultrasound and it has no know diagnostic risks. It cannot be substituted in every case for x-rays, but it is actually better for many uses. An echo reflects the sound waves back into the ultrasound transducer and an image is record of what is found. This is also used in industrial studies as well as medical uses. Transducers, or ultrasound probes, make contact with the skin with the use of a special conducting gel that makes a continuous connection with the skin surface.





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