ULTRASOUND
Ultrasound imaging safely uses high frequency sound waves to produce images from within your body in real time and without the use of ionising radiation.
In addition to being used during pregnancy ultrasound also provides high quality images of the organs in the abdomen and pelvis, neck, breast and blood vessels of the body.
Ultrasound imaging is favourable when assessing soft tissues such as muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves and joints, as well as for needle guidance during treatment injections.
What it entails:
A trained specialist called a Sonographer or Radiologist (a specialist medical Dr) will perform your ultrasound scan using a handheld transducer with a small amount of water-based gel applied to the skin. You may be lying down or seated in a chair for the duration of the scan.
Our latest generation ultrasound machines produce high quality images as the transducer is moved across the region of interest. These images enable the Radiologist to get an accurate diagnosis.
It's essential to follow any specific instructions provided by your healthcare provider or the Reform Radiology team regarding preparation for the ultrasound scan. If you have any concerns or questions about the procedure, don't hesitate to discuss them with our friendly team or your healthcare provider.
Radiation exposure:
Ultrasound scans do not involve the use of ionising radiation, such as X-rays or radioactive materials. Instead, it relies on the reflection of sound waves on your body's tissues. This makes Ultrasound a very safe imaging modality without the risk of radiation-related side effects, particularly in children.
Obstetric Scans
Reform Radiology perform Early Dating Pregnancy ultrasound (between 6-11 weeks).
Benefits of Ultrasound:
It is widely available and less expensive than most other imaging methods.
Ultrasound is very safe and does not use ionising radiation.
It provides a very clear picture of soft tissues with great internal detail of soft tissue structures such as tendons and nerves with the advantage of performing real time assessments and procedures.
Ultrasound can be safely used during pregnancy and for children of all ages, usually without the need for sedation or anaesthesia.
Book an Ultrasound Scan today
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Preparing for an Ultrasound scan:
Wear comfortable and loose-fitting clothing or alternatively you may be asked to change into a gown. You may need to remove clothing and jewellery in the area to be examined.
Preparation for your ultrasound scan can vary between exam types:
Abdominal exams require nothing to eat and water only for 6 hours prior to your appointment.
Renal or pelvic exams require a full bladder on arrival.
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The sonographer and possibly a Radiologist will be present during your scan. They will position you either lying down or seated in a chair.
Water-based gel will be applied to the area of the body under examination. The gel will help the transducer make secure contact with the body. It also eliminates air pockets between the transducer and the skin that can block the sound waves from passing into your body. The sonographer places the transducer on the body and moves it back and forth over the area of interest until it captures the desired images.
Gentle pressure may be applied via the ultrasound transducer and although usually painless you may feel some discomfort if the area is tender. This is a necessary part of the scan for accurate diagnosis.
Ultrasound uses high frequency sound waves that are usually inaudible to the human hear. These are emitted by a special transducer on the skin and then bounce of internal organs, fluids and tissues. The transducer then listens for these echoes from within your body and then calculates an image and displays it on the screen in real time. The Sonographer typically captures one or more frames of the moving pictures as still images. They may also save short video loops of the images.
The examination can take anywhere between 15 and 30 minutes, depending on the are being examined.
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A Radiologist will review the images. On occasion, the Radiologist may personally attend your examination to discuss your issue and view images while the procedure is being undertaken.
A report will be generated and sent to your referrer following your scan. You can then discuss the results with them in conjunction with any relevant clinical information.