What is Ultrasound?
Ultrasound
Ultrasounds also known as sonography use sound waves to produce images of the internal structures of your body.
These images help diagnose and treat various diseases and injuries by providing detailed information. Most ultrasounds are performed using a device from the outside of your body but some may also require placement of an instrument inside your body.
You can book an ultrasound in Swat with oladoc by clicking on the book lab test button or by calling our helpline at
04238900939.
Why is an ultrasound performed?
Ultrasounds are used to evaluate various conditions and anomalies within your body which include:
- Gallbladder diseases
- Breast lumps
- Issues of thyroid gland
- Assess metabolic bone disease
- Evaluate joint inflammation
- Examine blood flow
- Monitor baby’s health during pregnancy
- View the ovaries and uterus
What are the kinds of ultrasound?
Different kinds of ultrasounds are performed to evaluate different conditions. Some of the most common kinds of ultrasounds include:
- Breast ultrasound
- Abdominal ultrasound
- Carotid ultrasound
- Saline infusion sonography
- Obstetric ultrasound
- Musculoskeletal ultrasound
- Prostate ultrasound
- Pelvic ultrasound
- Thyroid ultrasound
- Venous ultrasound
- Scrotal ultrasound
What are the requirements of an ultrasound?
There may be some special requirements that need to be fulfilled depending on the ultrasound that you have
been prescribed. These requirements may include:
- A pelvic ultrasound requires you to come in with a full bladder. So your doctor will tell you how much water you are supposed to drink and how you won’t be allowed to urinate until the procedure is done.
- For a gallbladder ultrasound your doctor will ask you to stop eating or drinking for some time before the ultrasound.
- In case of children, special preparations are needed. So make sure you fulfill all the requirements before the procedure.
What does the procedure of an ultrasound look like?
Your technician will ask you to lie on an examination table. Then a thin layer of gel will be applied to the body part
that is being examined. This gel helps prevent air pockets that can stop the sound waves from penetrating and creating images. The technician then places a device known as a transducer against the area that needs to be studied.He then moves it swiftly against your skin to capture the images. The transducer sends sound waves into the body which bounce back. These bounced back sounds are then sent to the computer to create images.
Some ultrasounds may also be done from the inside of your body. In that case a transducer is attached to a probe which is inserted in your body from a natural opening.
Are ultrasounds painful?
No, ultrasound is a harmless and painless procedure. However you may feel discomforted by the movement of the
transducer against your body.
How can I read the results of an ultrasound?
It is not easy to read the results of an ultrasound only a trained radiologist is capable of doing it. After the completion of your exam,
the radiologist will analyze the results and send a report to your doctor who will then share the results with you.
What are the risks and limitations of an Ultrasound?
Ultrasound uses minimally potent sound waves, so there are no known risks of diagnostic ultrasounds.
However, the limitations to this procedure are:
Sound is not capable of travelling effectively through bones or air so ultrasounds are not capable of capturing and imaging body
parts that are hidden by bones or may have gas. In that case your doctor will prescribe you with CT scans or MRIs to evaluate your condition.
How much does an ultrasound cost?
Ultrasounds are performed to evaluate different conditions, so they have many different kinds. This is why ultrasound price in Swat may vary from 1100 to 100,000.
