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Ultrasound of breast cyst |
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Ultrasound of liver tumor |
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Ultrasound of gallstones |
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Ultrasound depiction of a needle entering a tumor |
During an ultrasound exam, you lie on an examination table. A small amount of warm gel is applied to your skin. The gel helps eliminate the formation of air pockets between the transducer and your body. During an ultrasound, a technician trained in ultrasound imaging (sonographer) presses a small hand-held device (transducer), about the size of a bar of soap, against your skin over the area of your body being examined, moving from one area to another as necessary.
Ultrasound is usually a painless procedure. However, you may experience some discomfort as the sonographer guides the transducer over your body, especially if you're required to have a full bladder. A typical ultrasound exam takes from 30 minutes to an hour.
Ultrasound is based on the same principles as sonar, a technology used to detect underwater objects. The transducer generates and receives high-frequency sound waves that can't be heard by the human ear.
As the sonographer places the transducer on your skin, crystals inside the transducer emit pulses of sound waves that travel into your body. Your tissues, bones and body fluids reflect the sound waves and bounce them back to the transducer. The transducer then sends this information to a computer, which composes detailed images based on the patterns created by the sound waves.
Though the majority of ultrasound exams are performed with a transducer on your skin, some ultrasounds are done inside your body (invasive ultrasounds). For these exams, the transducer is attached to a probe that's inserted into a natural opening in your body. Examples of these exams include:
- Transesophageal echocardiogram. The transducer is inserted into your esophagus to obtain images of the nearby heart.
- Transrectal ultrasound. The transducer is inserted into a man's rectum to view his prostate.
- Transvaginal ultrasound. The transducer is inserted into a woman's vagina to view her uterus and ovaries.
