Ultrasound diagnosis utilizes high-frequency sound waves beyond what human ears can hear. This sound wave does not cause any harm from ll in the frequency and quantity used in medicine. Therefore, it has been widely used in the initial examination and general diagnosis, especially in children and fetuses since in addition to not being harmful, the patient would not feel pain in the examined area aside from just a little pressure.
Ultrasound can be employed to examine many organs, such as heart, liver, spleen, kidney, gall bladder, abdomen, and uterus, and patient preparation is quite simple.
Indication
- Detect general abnormalities, such as kidney stones, gallbladder stones, liver masses, etc.
- Confirm the detection of a lump.
- Monitor the changes of the lesions.
- Penetrate the suspected organ for diagnosis and treatment.
- Identify sex, abnormality, and size of the fetus.
- Detect abnormalities of the veins and arteries that are clogged, bulging or varicose, etc.
- Examine heartbeats, myocardial contractility, heart valves, heart muscle abnormalities, and proximal artery (by a cardiologist).
- Examine the baby’s brain from birth to 1 year old.
Limitation of Ultrasound
- Inability to examine organs that have air such as lungs, and stomach, since the air does not reflect the waves back, making it impossible to receive a signal to create a photograph.
- Inability to examine bony organs or being blocked by the bones since the bones would reflect the waves back, making it impossible to penetrate the organ.
