Ultrasound (ultrasound diagnostics)
Advantages and features of ultrasound
The main advantages of ultrasound include:
- Highly informative about the condition of internal organs, tissues, tendons, cartilage, ligaments, and blood vessels of the head
- Ability to identify changes in organ structures and detect tumors in the early stages of development
- Safety and no absolute contraindications - the examination is available even for small children and patients in serious condition (in case of urgent need)
- Ability to assess the condition of the fetus, newborns, and infants without causing them harm
- Non-invasive and painless (the sensor is inserted along the (the surface of the skin over the area being examined)
- Ability to assess the dynamics of the disease's progression without harming the body
- A protocol is created immediately during the procedure
The K+31 Clinic is equipped with modern, affordable equipment. Professional ultrasound scanners operating at the medical center ensure accurate diagnostics without unnecessary time and stress.
Ultrasound is one of the safest diagnostic methods, so there are no strict restrictions on its use. However, sometimes circumstances arise in which the doctor decides to postpone the examination.
For example, if there is an open wound or a serious skin infection at the site of the examination, the machine's sensors may worsen the condition. Therefore, it is necessary to first treat the injury and then safely undergo the ultrasound.
Another reason to postpone the procedure is the patient's poor health. When a person is in very serious condition, doctors prioritize stabilizing the patient's condition over conducting a routine examination.
Before scheduling an ultrasound, be sure to consult with your doctor and tell them about your health and any existing medical conditions. The specialist will take your individual needs into account and decide whether the procedure is appropriate now.
Areas of application of ultrasound
This technique is widely used to examine many parts of the body. Here are just a few areas of ultrasound application:
- Abdominal organs. The liver, pancreas, gallbladder, and spleen are easily examined using ultrasound. The doctor will see the size, structure, and possible changes of each organ.
- Thyroid gland. Ultrasound can assess its condition and detect nodules or inflammation.
- Pelvic organs. In women, the uterus and ovaries are examined, and in men, the prostate gland. The procedure identifies tumors, inflammation, and other pathologies.
- Heart. Cardiac ultrasound, also called echocardiography, provides a detailed picture of this organ's function, including how its valves are functioning, the thickness of its walls, the presence of blood clots, etc.
- Vessels. They examine arteries and veins, assessing blood flow and identifying blockages or narrowing of the vessels.
- Soft tissues. Often used to examine muscles, ligaments, joints, skin, and subcutaneous tissues.
Thus, the possibilities of ultrasound examination are impressive. They cover many areas of the human body, allowing for the timely detection of problems and accurate diagnoses.
According to the International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology (ISUOG), the best ultrasound diagnostic system for performing ultrasound during pregnancy in all trimesters is the General Electric Voluson E10, which our clinic also has.
We offer expectant mothers ultrasound examination of the fetus at various stages of pregnancy. Using our equipment, it is possible to conduct screening to assess intrauterine development.
Doppler ultrasound of the uteroplacental and fetal blood flow has important diagnostic value in the group of pregnant women at high perinatal risk.
Ultrasound is quite informative for multiple pregnancies, various pathologies, and late pregnancy. The research method allows us to identify pathological changes and anomalies in fetal development.
Timely detection of violations makes it possible to prevent the development of severe complications of pregnancy and develop tactics for managing a pregnant woman.
Indications for ultrasound
An ultrasound is prescribed when it's necessary to accurately determine the cause of health problems. For example, if you have abdominal pain, your doctor will recommend an examination to rule out serious conditions like kidney stones or inflammation.
An ultrasound is also useful, for example, if a tumor is suspected—an examination can be performed to rule out or confirm the presence of a growth, determine its size, and determine its location.
Another important indication for an ultrasound is pregnancy. Expectant mothers regularly undergo ultrasounds to ensure the baby is developing normally and there are no threats.
This test is also often used for heart and vascular problems, as it allows one to detect blood clots, thickening of the walls, or circulatory problems.
Endocrine system complaints are also a reason to see a specialist. If thyroid dysfunction is suspected, it's best to immediately undergo an ultrasound to initiate treatment promptly. Therefore, the primary indication for an ultrasound is the need for an accurate diagnosis of the patient's health.
PREPARATION FOR ULTRASOUND
Ultrasound of the abdominal organs, renal vessels, and abdominal vessels
(abdominal aorta and its visceral branches, portal vein and its branches, inferior vena cava and its branches, iliac arteries and veins).
Preparation: 24 hours before the examination, exclude fresh fruits and vegetables, carbonated drinks and juices, legumes, baked goods, milk, and brown bread from your diet. Arrive for the examination strictly on an empty stomach (do not eat or drink). It is advisable to refrain from smoking for 2 hours before the examination. Diagnostic procedures such as gastroscopy, colonoscopy, and barium studies of the gastrointestinal tract should not be performed before an abdominal ultrasound (they are performed only after the ultrasound).
Abdominal ultrasound with a choleretic breakfast
Preparation is similar to that for a standard abdominal ultrasound, plus you must bring a choleretic breakfast, which you will need to eat after the initial examination.
Choleretic breakfast (options):
- 20% sour cream: 200–250 g (at least 20% fat content)
- 10% yogurt: 200–250 ml (at least 10% fat content)
- 20% cream: 200–250 ml (at least 20% fat content)
Ultrasound of the bladder, prostate gland (transabdominal), pelvic organs in women (transabdominal)
The ultrasound is performed with a full bladder — the urge to urinate should be felt at the time of the examination.
To quickly fill your bladder: first drink coffee or green tea, then 3-4 glasses of water – your bladder will usually fill in 20-30 minutes.
Pelvic Ultrasound in Women (Transvaginal Access)
The ultrasound is performed with an empty bladder – you must urinate before the examination.
Ultrasound of the Lower Extremity Vessels (Arteries or Veins)
The examination is performed starting from the groin area. On the day of the examination, wear comfortable, stretchy underwear.
The clinic uses the Philips Affinity 70 expert-class ultrasound machine to perform liver shear wave elastometry. Diffuse liver diseases are one of the biggest problems worldwide. The etiology of these diseases is varied:
- Viral hepatitis (hepatitis B or C).
- Fatty liver infiltration of alcoholic and non-alcoholic origin.
- Autoimmune hepatitis.
- Medication-related complications.
- Primary biliary cirrhosis and other less common pathological conditions and diseases.
Our clinic uses recommendations developed by the Russian Association of Ultrasound Specialists in Medicine and the Department of Ultrasound Diagnostics at the University of Pavia (Italy) for assessing liver stiffness, primarily in the setting of viral hepatitis C. Shear wave elastography is based on measuring the propagation velocity of a shear wave and allows the specialist to obtain a digital liver stiffness value, which can be correlated with various assessment scales, including the METAVIR scale.
General information
How is an ultrasound performed?
The ultrasound procedure is simple and completely painless. The patient lies comfortably on a special examination table, and the doctor gently moves a special probe over the patient's skin. Before the procedure, the doctor applies a small amount of gel to the patient's skin—this improves contact between the probe and the tissue and ensures better signal quality.
The probe itself is connected to equipment that converts the reflected sound waves into a clear image of the internal organs on a monitor. The entire process takes only 10–30 minutes and is performed without any discomfort or health risks.
This diagnostic method is suitable for virtually all patients of any age. The ultrasound is performed by an experienced specialist who is able to accurately interpret the obtained data. This is why it is important to choose a clinic with a reputable reputation and qualified doctors.
The results are usually available immediately after the appointment. The doctor will explain in detail everything they saw on the screen and provide a report with recommendations.
Answers to popular questions
What technologies do K+31 doctors use for ultrasound?
Clinic K+31 has stationary and portable ultrasound devices of an expert class from leading manufacturers of ultrasound equipment (Toshiba, General Electric, Philips, Hitachi):
- Wide range of diagnostic capabilities
- Excellent degree of visualization of the structure of organs and tissues
- Doppler research programs
- Panoramic scanning
- Building a volumetric image in real time
The premium ultrasound devices Canon i800, Toshiba Artida, Toshiba Aplio 500 installed in the clinic include innovative ultrasound imaging technologies and have a number of unique capabilities that allow obtaining grey-scale images of unprecedented quality with exceptionally detailed elaboration of tissue and organ structures.
New possibilities for computer processing of ultrasound images in three-dimensional (3D-4D) mode on the latest generation devices allow you to create a spatial picture of the structure of an organ, vessel, or pathological focus.
Using our modern equipment, it is possible to diagnose pathologies of the urinary system and reproductive system.
What organs and systems can be checked by ultrasound in K+31?
K+31 carries out almost all currently existing ultrasound research methods:
- Brain
- Abdominal organs
- Kidneys and adrenal glands
- Liver
- Thyroid
- Mammary glands
- Salivary glands
- Lymph nodes
- Lungs
- Pleural cavities
- Orbits of the eye and sockets
- Pelvic organs in men and women
- Bladder
- Organs of the scrotum
- Prostate gland (prostate)
- Soft tissues and joints
- Abdominal cavity
- Gall bladder
- Retroperitoneal space
- Pancreas
- Spleen
- Lower limbs
- Upper limbs
- Heart (EchoCG)
- Vessels
- Triplex and duplex scanning of great vessels and veins, arteries of internal organs
- Scanning of the brachiocephalic arteries (with color Doppler mapping of blood flow, with rotational tests)
- Doppler echocardiography and stress echocardiography, transesophageal echocardiography
- Transcranial Dopplerography (TCDG)
- Ultrasound diagnostics during pregnancy in all trimesters
- Transvaginal examination in the first trimester of the uterus, cervix
- Dopplerography of uteroplacental and fetal blood flow
- Construction of a three-dimensional image of the fetus
- Neurosonography from the first birthday
- Ultrasound examination guidance for minimally invasive interventions
What types of ultrasounds are there?
Depending on the disease, the attending physician prescribes the following types of ultrasound:
- Densitometry is a diagnostic method that involves scanning bones with ultrasound and X-rays. Recently, this examination has been relevant for patients who have recovered from Covid. Densitometry is prescribed in combination with other tests.
- Dopplerography is an examination of the state of blood flow. Ultrasound doctor evaluates veins and arteries of the lower and upper extremities, brain, pelvic organs. It is also prescribed during pregnancy to determine cardiovascular pathologies of the fetus.
- Sonography is a less common name for ultrasound.
- 3D ultrasound is a diagnostic that gives a more accurate picture of the condition of internal tissues and organs. A medical examination allows you to see in three dimensions, making it easier to diagnose diseases and prescribe treatment. Often 3D and 4D ultrasound is prescribed during pregnancy.
- Duplex scanning is an ultrasound diagnosis of the vessels of the neck and brain, veins of the lower extremities. The method includes not only Doppler ultrasound, but also B-mode. With its help, veins and arteries and nearby soft tissues are visualized.
How to decipher an ultrasound?
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What is an ultrasound?
This diagnostic method works as follows: an ultrasound machine emits sound waves that reflect off various tissues in the body. These reflected signals are converted into an image on a screen using a special sensor. No incisions or punctures are required—everything is done painlessly and quickly, so there are no direct contraindications to the procedure.
Ultrasound diagnostics are completely harmless because they do not use X-rays or radioactive substances. This allows the procedure to be performed as many times as needed by the doctor and patient. Furthermore, this diagnostic method is one of the most accessible, as the equipment is available in almost any clinic.
Today, ultrasound diagnostics is considered one of the most modern methods for examining internal organs. It is prescribed by doctors of all specialties, as ultrasound helps detect many diseases in the early stages. The examination is performed by a specially trained specialist, who carefully examines the resulting images and provides a conclusion.