Diagnostic medical sonography, which is commonly known as ultrasound sonography, works through the use of specialty ultrasound machines that use sound waves that bounce off of a patient’s internal organs to provide a picture that sonographers can see on their transmitter.
Procedure
Once a patient comes into the doctor’s office to have a sonogram performed they will be asked to change into a patient gown and to lie on a bed so that the sonographer can use their equipment on them. The sonographer will then bring in sonography equipment and stand next to the patient.
Once the sonographer and the patient are both ready to proceed the sonographer will place a layer of gel on the surface of their skin above the area which they need to get images from. The handheld transmitter is passed directly over the gel and sound waves are then sent to the receiver along with a picture of the patient’s internal organs. The sonagraphy machine is not painful in any way. In fact, patients should not be able to feel anything when the machine is being used. It can take anywhere from a few minutes to ten minutes for the sonographer to obtain the picture that they need and during this time the patient will be asked to be as still as possible so that sonographers can achieve a clear picture.
Although it can seem magical to patients that a clear picture of their insides can be achieved from the use of a small handheld transmitter the truth is that the science of sound waves has been used for years. In fact, the basic technology is easy to understand. When a sound wave is sent out through the handheld transmitter it then bounces back from anything that it hits. The entire process is very similar to echolocation used by bats and other animals. This is how the picture is then reconstructed on the receiver so that sonographers are given an idea of their patient’s internal body structure
Diagnostic medical sonography does not seem to slowing down as a medical field largely due to the fact that it has been found highly beneficial among the medical community. Most physicians and nurses recognize the benefits of using diagnostic medical sonography to treat their patients which means that there will be many positions for current and future graduates who are looking to ensure their own job security in the medical field.
