An ultrasound is a diagnostic technique which uses high-frequency sound waves to produce images of the internal organs of the body.
Ultrasounds are used in various parts of the body for different purposes.
It is used in the examination of the chest, abdomen and blood vessels.
The most familiar use of the ultrasound is in pregnancy.
It is used to detect blood clots in the veins of the legs.
In the chest, it is used to get detailed images of the heart and to find out if there are any anomalies in the functioning of the heart.
It is very useful in detecting the abnormalities in the valves of the heart.
Examples include aortic stenosis in which the opening of the aortic valve narrows abnormally.
The Ultrasound is also used in the detection of endocarditis, which is the inflammation of the inner layer of the heart, the endocardium.
It is also used to examine the inner parts of the abdomen.
Kidney stones and gall stones can be easily detected through an ultrasound examination.
An ultrasound is used to find out if there are cysts in the abdomen.
The size of organs such as the kidneys, liver and pancreas can be examined through ultrasound.
An ultrasound can also detect impaired blood flow, in case of arteriosclerosis, or the stiffening of arteries.
The bulges in arteries, also known as aneurysms can be detected through an ultrasound.
An ultrasound examination can also reveal the abnormalities in the thyroid gland.
During pregnancy, an ultrasound is used to examine the size, position and movement of the developing baby.
The Baby's heart is visible from the early stages.
Thanks to the ultrasound, the would-be mothers can now visualize their baby, before its birth.
As the baby ages, the movements of the baby can be seen using an ultrasound.
Thus, ultrasound has grown to be a powerful diagnostic tool finding applications in various domains of medicine.