Ultrasound

An ultrasound is an imaging test that uses sound waves to make pictures of organs, tissues, and other structures inside your body. It allows your health care provider to see into your body without surgery. Ultrasound is also called ultrasonography or sonography.

Ultrasound images may be called sonograms. Ultrasound can be used to treat certain medical conditions. But it's mostly used to help: Monitor the health and development of an unborn baby during pregnancy.

Pregnancy ultrasound can help check if your baby is growing normally. It can screen for certain conditions, such as birth defects that can be seen in images. It can also check for pregnancy problems.

For example, an ultrasound can show if your placenta (the organ that brings oxygen and nutrients to the baby) is in the right position. Pregnancy ultrasound may also be called 'prenatal ultrasound,' 'fetal ultrasound,' or 'obstetrical ultrasound.' ; Diagnose the cause of a wide variety of medical conditions. Ultrasound is best used to learn about conditions that involve soft tissues, such as organs, glands, and blood vessels.

Diagnostic ultrasound may be used if you have signs or symptoms of a problem, and an ultrasound may help diagnose or rule out possible causes.; Guide certain biopsy procedures. Some biopsies use a needle to remove a sample of fluid or tissue from the body for testing. An ultrasound can find the abnormal area and guide the needle to the right place to collect the sample.; There are different types of ultrasounds.

One type, called Doppler ultrasound, can show movement in your body. For example, it can show your heart beating and the speed and direction of blood flowing through your blood vessels. It can also show the beating heart and movement of an unborn baby.

Another type of ultrasound can create 3-D (three-dimensional) images.

Why this test is done

If you're pregnant, it's common to have a routine ultrasound between weeks 18 and 22 of pregnancy to check on the health of your baby. If your provider suspects a problem, you may need an ultrasound at other times during your pregnancy.

You may need a diagnostic ultrasound if you have signs or symptoms of certain types of medical conditions and your provider needs to look inside your body to help find the cause. If you're having a needle biopsy to remove fluid or tissue for a test, you may have an ultrasound as part of the procedure.

How to prepare

Preparations for an ultrasound exam depend on what part of your body is being checked. Some ultrasound exams require no preparation at all. Your provider will tell you if you need to prepare for your ultrasound and what to do.

For example, if you're having an ultrasound to view your urinary tract, you may need to drink water so that you have a full bladder. You will have to hold your urine (pee) until the test is over. For other ultrasounds, you may need to fast (not eat or drink) for several hours before your test.

Sample type

Tissue/Biopsy

Other names for this test

sonogram, ultrasonography, pregnancy sonography, fetal ultrasound, obstetric ultrasound, diagnostic medical sonography, diagnostic medical ultrasound