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4D ULTRASOUND

4D ULTRASOUND involves the use of high-frequency sound waves to create images of organs and systems within the body.As these sound waves bounce off internal organs, fluids and tissues the transducer records tiny changes in the sounds pitch and direction. These waves are measured and displayed using a computer, and used to create an image on the monitor.

How the Test is Performed

An 4D Ultrasound machine creates images that allow various organs in the body to be examined. The machine sends out high-frequency sound waves, which reflect off body structures. A computer receives these reflected waves and uses them to create a picture. Unlike with an x-ray or CT scan, there is no ionizing radiation exposure with this test.

The test is done in the ultrasound or radiology department. You will be lying down for the procedure. A clear, water-based conducting gel is applied to the skin over the area being examined to help with the transmission of the sound waves. A handheld probe called a transducer is moved over the area being examined. You may be asked to change position so that other areas can be examined.

For specific information about ultrasound examinations, please refer to the following topics:

Abdominal ultrasound

Ultrasound scans use high frequency sound waves to capture images and video of the inside of the body. Abdominal ultrasounds help the doctor to see the organs and structures inside the abdomen. Ultrasounds are safe and painless. It is very common nowadays. More and more ultrasounds are performed in the United States every year. One study found that their numbers grew by 4 percent every year from 1996 to 2010.

Ultrasound images are captured in real time. They’re able to show the structure and movement of internal organs as well as blood flowing through blood vessels. This test is the most commonly used one to view and examine the fetus in pregnant women, but it has many other clinical uses as well.

Why is an abdominal ultrasound performed?

Abdominal ultrasounds are used to check the major organs in the abdominal cavity. These organs include the gallbladder, kidneys, liver, pancreas, and spleen.

In fact, if a man between the ages of 65 and 75 and smoke or used to smoke, V & L Diagnostic recommend having an abdominal ultrasound to check for an abdominal aortic aneurysm.

Doctor might suspects you have any one of these other conditions, an abdominal ultrasound may be in your near future:

blood clot
enlarged organ (such as the liver, spleen, or kidneys)
fluid in the abdominal cavity
gallstone
hernia
pancreatitis
kidney blockage or cancer
kidney stone
liver cancer
appendicitis
tumors

Doppler/Ultrasound of the Heart (Echocardiogram)

What is an echocardiogram?

Echocardiography is a test that uses sound waves to produce live images of your heart. The image is called an echocardiogram. This test allows your doctor to monitor how your heart and its valves are functioning.

The images can help them get information about:

blood clots in the heart chambers
fluid in the sac around the heart
problems with the aorta, which is the main artery connected to the heart
problems with the pumping function or relaxing function of the heart
problems with the function of your heart valves
pressures in the heart.

An echocardiogram is key in determining the health of the heart muscle, especially after a heart attack. It can also reveal heart defects in unborn babies. Getting an echocardiogram is painless. There are only risks in very rare cases with certain types of echocardiograms or if contrast is used for the echocardiogram.

Uses

Doctors may order an echocardiogram for several reasons. For example, they may have discovered an abnormality from other testing or while listening to your heartbeat through a stethoscope.

If you have an irregular heartbeat, your doctor may want to inspect the heart valves or chambers or check your heart’s ability to pump. They may also order one if they see signs of heart problems, such as chest pain or shortness of breath.

Types

There are several different types of echocardiograms.

This is the most common type of echocardiography. It’s painless and noninvasive.

A device called a transducer will be placed on your chest over your heart. The transducer sends ultrasound waves through your chest toward your heart. A computer interprets the sound waves as they bounce back to the transducer. This produces the live images that are shown on a monitor.

Transesophageal echocardiography

If a transthoracic echocardiogram doesn’t produce definitive images or you need to visualize the back of the heart better, your doctor may recommend a transesophageal echocardiogram.

In this procedure, the doctor guides a much smaller transducer down your throat through your mouth. The doctor will numb your throat to make this procedure easier and eliminate the gag reflex.

The transducer tube is guided through your esophagus, the tube that connects your throat to your stomach. With the transducer behind your heart, your doctor can get a better view of any problems and visualize some chambers of the heart that are not seen on the transthoracic echocardiogram.

Stress echocardiography

A stress echocardiogram uses traditional transthoracic echocardiography. However, the procedure is done before and after you’ve exercised or taken medication to make your heart beat faster. This allows your doctor to test how your heart performs under stress.

Three-dimensional echocardiography

A three-dimensional (3-D) echocardiogram uses either transesophageal or transthoracic echocardiography to create a 3-D image of your heart. This involves multiple images from different angles. It’s used prior to heart valve surgery. It’s also used to diagnose heart problems in children.

Fetal echocardiography

Fetal echocardiography is used on expectant mothers sometime during weeks 18 to 22 of pregnancy. The transducer is placed over the woman’s abdomen to check for heart problems in the fetus. The test is considered safe for an unborn child because it doesn’t use radiation, unlike an X-ray.

Doppler ultrasound of an arm or a leg

What is a Doppler ultrasound?

Doppler ultrasound is a test that uses high-frequency sound waves to measure the amount of blood flow through the arteries and veins, usually those that supply blood to your arms and legs.

A Doppler ultrasound is a risk-free and pain-free procedure that requires little preparation. The test provides doctors with important information about the flow of blood through your major arteries and veins. It can also reveal blocked or reduced blood flow through narrowed areas in the arteries, which could eventually lead to a stroke.

Why do I need a Doppler ultrasound?

Doctors may suggest a Doppler ultrasound exam if they see signs of decreased blood flow in the arteries or veins of your legs, arms, or neck. A reduced amount of blood flow may be due to a blockage in the artery, a blood clot inside a blood vessel, or an injury to a blood vessel.

Doctor may order a Doppler ultrasound exam if you show signs of:

deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a condition that occurs when a blood clot forms in a vein deep inside your body (usually in the leg or hip regions)
superficial thrombophlebitis, an inflammation of the veins due to a blood clot in a vein just below the skin's surface
arteriosclerosis, a narrowing and hardening of the arteries that supply blood to the legs and feet
thromboangiitis obliterans, a rare disease in which the blood vessels of the hands and feet become inflamed and swollen
vascular tumors in your arms or legs

A Doppler ultrasound can help determine the blood pressure within your arteries. It can also show how much blood is currently flowing through your arteries and veins.

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