Ultrasound

 Ultrasound is the safest form of medical imaging and has a wide range of applications.

There are no harmful effects when using ultrasound and it’s one of the most cost-effective forms of medical imaging available to us, regardless of our specialty or circumstances.

Ultrasound uses sound waves rather than ionizing radiation. High-frequency sound waves are transmitted from the probe to the body via the conducting gel, those waves then bounce back when they hit the different structures within the body and that is used to create an image for diagnosis.

Another type of ultrasound commonly used is the ‘Doppler’ – a slightly different technique of using sound waves that allows the blood flow through arteries and veins to be seen.

Due to the minimal risk of using Ultrasound, it’s the first choice for pregnancy, but as the applications are so wide – emergency diagnosis, cardiac, spine and internal organs – it tends to be one of the first ports of call for many patients.