Also known as ultrasonography, an ultrasound is a diagnostic procedure that relies on high-frequency sound waves to capture and produce images and movement of the body’s internal structures on a computer screen. Therefore, your doctor can diagnose the cause of pain, inflammation, swelling, or a condition in an internal organ. Your doctor may also rely on New York City ultrasound for guiding instruments when extracting a tissue or fluid sample from your body. A doctor views the ultrasound scan screen while moving a needle or device into a cancerous or non-cancerous growth. The extracted tissue or fluid sample will be examined using a microscope.
Consequently, below are potentially life-threatening conditions affecting your organs and tissues that can be detected by ultrasound imaging.
- Cancer
The American Cancer Society estimates that by the end of this year, there will be more than 1.5 million new cancer cases and over 500,000 Americans dying from cancer. Cancer is a health issue characterized by cells that develop and grow abnormally and uncontrollably. Cancerous cells can infiltrate and harm healthy tissues and spread throughout your body.
An ultrasound scan can show growths that affect soft tissues, which x-rays may not capture. The intensity and shape of high-frequency sound waves from an ultrasound scan vary depending on the tissue your doctor is examining. Because of the difference in the echoing of sound waves, ultrasound imaging can distinguish between solid cysts and fluid-filled masses. Still, your doctor may need further tests to confirm cancer detection.
- Cardiovascular disease
The CDC estimates that more than 15 million Americans have coronary artery disease. Other prevalent heart diseases affecting Americans include heart attack, heart failure, high blood pressure, and peripheral arterial disease (PAD).
An echocardiogram is an ultrasound test that your doctor can use to check your heart’s function and features and thus detect an underlying condition. Your doctor may utilize echocardiography and a Doppler ultrasound to evaluate blood flow through your heart’s valves and blood vessels.
- Stroke
Stroke is a health issue that results from the reduction or interruption of blood supply to a section of your brain. Since the tissues of your brain cannot get an adequate supply of nutrients like oxygen, minerals, and vitamins, they begin to die slowly.
A stroke can cause various complications, including loss of muscle movement, impairment of mouth functions, and memory loss.
Your doctor can use a carotid ultrasound scan to detect if arteries in your neck, which supply your brain with blood, are suffering from narrowing or blockage. An ongoing narrowing or blocking of the carotid arteries may indicate an impending stroke.
- Extrauterine pregnancy
Also known as ectopic pregnancy, an extrauterine pregnancy occurs when a fertilized egg gets stuck outside the uterus (womb). Often the implantation of fertilized eggs happens in the fallopian tube.
A fertilized egg outside your womb cannot develop into a fetus or baby. Leaving the egg to grow may damage adjacent organs, triggering excessive blood loss that can threaten your life. Therefore, doctors recommend you undergo ultrasound imaging when your pregnancy is less than eight to ten weeks old.
Contact NYPT Health & Rehab to book an appointment with an ultrasound specialist.