Reviews and News on Ultrasound Machines

According to the American Cancer Society, over 40,000 new cases of uterine cancer diagnosed each year, so it is important for high risk patients to be evaluated thoroughly.

In addition to the normal routine of colposcopy and ECC, women who already have some of the risk factors or symptoms of uterine cancer should ask the doctor to perform an ultrasound scan of the uterus. But diagnosing endometrial cancer (also known as uterine cancer) can be difficult. It doesn’t always show up in a pap test, and unless the test comes back showing atypical glandular cells (AGC), many patients can go undiagnosed for years.

Even when a patient’s Pap smear shows evidence of AGC, gynecologists often treat this result with less respect than it deserves. Unlike squamous cell atypia (the more common form of abnormal pap result), glandular abnormalities can be a sign of more advanced lesions in the uterus, or even an existing cancer, which may be difficult to find using the traditional follow-up tests.

Uterine cancers can also grow more rapidly than squamous cell cancers of the cervix. An ultrasound machine can be used to detect the elusive early stage uterine cancer known as adenocarcinoma in situ (AIS).

Using an ultrasound machine, doctors can get a more detailed internal picture of a patient’s uterus and provide an accurate diagnosis through sonohysterography. This type of scanning, which uses a transvaginal probe, allows for a more in-depth evaluation of the uterine cavity. It can be used to examine scarring, benign fibroid tumors, cancerous tumors, cysts or polyps that may be present within the uterus.
Ultimately, it will be the results of a biopsy, colposcopy and ultrasound scan together that gives doctors a clear picture of the patient’s condition, as well as the recommended course of treatment. If endometrial cancer is diagnosed, patients normally undergo a complete hysterectomy.

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Compared to other diagnostic machines, ultrasound machines are much safer for patients, and recent advances in ultrasound technology have allowed the applications for this test to expand beyond its traditional use in obstetrics.

While the benefits of ultrasound scanning far exceed the risks, no diagnostic tool is without some inherent limitations.

Here is a summary of ultrasound’s benefits:

* As an imaging technique, ultrasound is a widely available, less expensive and easy to use.
* Most ultrasound scans are non-invasive, requiring no needles or injections, and they test is usually painless.
* Ultrasound machines use no ionizing radiation.
* The ultrasound scan provides a clear picture of soft tissues that often are not visible on x-ray images. It can even help detect lesions in dense breasts.
* Because it provides imaging in real-time, ultrasound is great tool for minimally invasive needle biopsies or needle aspiration.

The limitations of ultrasound machines include:

* There are still many cancers not visible on ultrasound machines.
* Calcifications that are visible using mammography are not always seen on ultrasound scans.
* The procedure may not always be covered by insurance plans, and some facilities don’t offer ultrasound screening.

For breast cancer screenings, it is important to choose a facility where the radiologists specialize in this type of screening. The quality of ultrasound diagnostics is dependent upon the abnormality being recognized in “real time”. This requires a certain level of experience and up-to-date ultrasound equipment. The best facilities are accredited by ACR.

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As with any type of diagnostic tests, some patients become nervous about the nature of the exam. Thankfully, ultrasound is one of those tests that should not cause a lot of patient anxiety.

Here is what patients should expect during an ultrasound exam:

o Depending on the area to be examined, patients may be asked to undress and wear a gown during the procedure.
o The ultrasound machine contains a transducer, video display screen and a console containing a computer and electronics.
o Patients will be able to view the ultrasound machine image immediately on a video display that looks a lot like a TV.
o The image itself is made by the amplitude, frequency and amount of time it takes for sound waves to return from the area being studied to the transducer.
o Technicians use a clear gel that is water based, which is smoothed on the spot where the body is to be studied. This ensures the transducer will will securely contact with the skin throughout the procedure, and it prevents pockets of air between the skin and the transducer.
o By pressing the transducer tautly on the body, the sonographer will sweep it over the area being studied to allow sound waves to pass over.
o A Doppler ultrasound is performed using a similar process and the same type of transducer.

An ultrasound machine exam usually takes 30 minutes, and it is a safe and painless procedure. If it is performed over a tender area, however, the patient may feel minor pain or pressure from the transducer. With Doppler ultrasound, patients may also hear sounds similar to a pulse as the blood flow is measured and monitored.

Once an ultrasound examination is complete, the patient may resume normal activities right away. Results are normally evaluated at the time of the exam, but may be evaluated further by another physician or radiologist.

Ultrasound Machine Tags: Portable Ultrasound, portable ultrasound machines, Ultrasound Machines, Used Medical Equipment