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Medical Ultrasound Awareness Month is held annually every October to increase the public's knowledge about medical ultrasound. Medical Ultrasound Awareness Month is sponsored by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine (AIUM), American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS), American Society of Echocardiography (ASE), Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI), Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (SDMS), and Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (SDMS), and Society for Vascular (SVU), who share the common goal of increasing the public's knowledge about medical ultrasound and promoting its importance in health care.
Medical Ultrasound Facts
What is diagnostic medical ultrasound?
Diagnostic medical ultrasound is a procedure that uses high frequency sound waves (ultrasound) to produce dynamic images (or sonograms) of organs, tissues, or blood flow inside the body. This procedure is often referred to as an ultrasound scan or ultrasound examination. Diagnostic medical ultrasound is used to examine many parts of the body, such as the abdomen, breast, reproductive system, heart and blood vessels. Diagnostic medical ultrasound is increasingly being used in the detection of heart disease and vascular disease, as well as for the detection of injuries to the muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Unlike many imaging procedures, ultrasound does not use x-rays, therefore no radiation is used.
There are several areas of specialization in the field of diagnostic medical ultrasound, including:
Abdominal ultrasound - evaluation of all the soft tissues, blood vessels, and organs of the abdominal cavities (eg, liver, spleen, urinary tract, and pancreas).
Breast ultrasound - evaluation of breast abnormalities that are found with screening or diagnostic mammography.
Echocardiography - evaluation of the anatomy and hemodynamics (blood flow) of the heart, its valves, and related blood vessels.
Neurosonology - evaluation of the brain and spinal cord.
Obstetric/gynecologic ultrasound - evaluation of the female reproductive system.
Ophthalmologic ultrasound - evaluation of the eye, including orbital structures and muscles.
Vascular ultrasound - evaluation and analysis of the hemodynamics (blood flow) of peripheral and abdominal blood vessels.
What do ultrasound professionals do?
A diagnostic medical sonographer is a highly skilled professional who performs ultrasound examinations using specialized equipment to produce high-quality images of structures inside the human body. After the examination, the sonographer reviews the images and the patient's history with a physician trained in the interpretation of ultrasound. Sometimes a physician (or sonologist) will perform the ultrasound examination .
Although a sonographer plays a critical role in extracting the information necessary to derive a diagnosis, the rendering of a final diangosis of an ultrasound study is the responsibility of the supervising physician.
Sonographers who specialize in cardiac ultrasound are called echocardiographers and sonographers who specialize in vascular ultrasound are called vascular technologists.
How do I know if I am receiving high-quality ultrasound care?
Ask if your sonographer is certified. Certified sonographers have demonstrated that they have specific training and experience to perform an ultrasound examination accurately. In order to maintin their certification, sonographers are required to earn continuing medical education credits each year, which helps ensure that they are current with ultrasound technology and patient care skills.
Ask if the ultrasound practice you are visiting is accredited. Practices that have obtained accreditation have demonstrated competency in every aspect of their operation, including the education and training of doctors and sonographers, ultrasound equipment, document storage, policies safeguarding patients, and accuracy in diagnosis.
How should diagnostic medical ultrasound be used?
Diagnostic medical ultrasound should be used in a prudent manner to provide medical benefit to the patient. Nonmedical use of ultrasound for psychosocial or entertainment purposes is strongly discouraged. The use of ultrasound only to view the fetus, obtain a picture of the fetus, or determine the fetal gender without a medical indication is inappropriate and contrary to responsible medical practice.
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