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Ultrasound
Also called: Sonogram
Ultrasound uses high-frequency sound waves to look at organs and structures inside the body. Health care professionals use them to view the heart, blood vessels, kidneys, liver and other organs. During pregnancy, doctors use ultrasound tests to examine the fetus. Unlike x-rays, ultrasound does not involve exposure to radiation.
During an ultrasound test, a special technician or doctor moves a device called a transducer over part of your body. The transducer sends out sound waves, which bounce off the tissues inside your body. The transducer also captures the waves that bounce back. Images are created from these sound waves.
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Start Here
- Ultrasound(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
The top row in the table of contents box contains the following groups:
Basics
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Learn More
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Multimedia & Cool Tools
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For group Basics
For group Learn More
For group Multimedia & Cool Tools
The bottom row in the table of contents box contains the following groups:
Research
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Reference Shelf
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For You
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For group Research
For group Reference Shelf
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Overviews
- General Ultrasound Imaging(American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America)
- Also available in Spanish
- Taking a Close Look at Ultrasound(Food and Drug Administration)
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Specific Conditions
- Abdominal Ultrasound(American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America)
- Also available in Spanish
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Carotid Ultrasound(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
- Circulation Ultrasound(American Society of Echocardiography)
- Cranial Ultrasound/Head Ultrasound(American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America)
- Doppler Ultrasound: What Is It Used for?(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
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Echocardiography(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
- Hip Ultrasound(American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America)
- Musculoskeletal Ultrasound(American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America)
- Also available in Spanish
- Ultrasound -- Vascular(American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America)
- Also available in Spanish
- Ultrasound Imaging of the Pelvis(American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America)
- Also available in Spanish
- Ultrasound of the Thyroid Gland(American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America)
- Also available in Spanish
- Ultrasound-Guided Breast Biopsy(American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America)
- Also available in Spanish
- Understanding EUS (Endoscopic Ultrasonography)(American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy)
- Also available in Spanish
- Venous Ultrasound (Extremities)(American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America)
- Also available in Spanish
- What Are the Types of Heart Ultrasound (Transthoracic Echo, Stress Echo, Transesophageal Echo)?(American Society of Echocardiography)
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Related Issues
- Avoid Fetal "Keepsake" Images, Heartbeat Monitors(Food and Drug Administration)
- Contrast Materials(American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America)
- Also available in Spanish
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Pictures & Photographs
- Image Gallery(American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine)
- Ultrasound - slideshow
- Also available in Spanish
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Tutorials
- Echocardiogram(Patient Education Institute)
- Also available in Spanish
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Videos
- Ultrasound - Encyclopedia
- Also available in Spanish
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Clinical Trials
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Echocardiography(National Institutes of Health)
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Ultrasonography, Prenatal(National Institutes of Health)
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Echocardiography
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Journal Articles
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
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Dictionaries/Glossaries
- RadiologyInfo: Glossary of Terms(American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America)
- Also available in Spanish
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Directories
- American College of Radiology Accredited Facility Search(American College of Radiology)
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Organizations
- RadiologyInfo(American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America)
- Also available in Spanish
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Children
- Children's (Pediatric) Abdominal Ultrasound Imaging(American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America)
- Also available in Spanish
- Pediatric and Fetal Ultrasound(American Society of Echocardiography)
- Ultrasound: Bladder(Nemours Foundation)
- Also available in Spanish
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Men
- Prostate Ultrasound(American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America)
- Also available in Spanish
- Scrotal Ultrasound(American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America)
- Also available in Spanish
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Women
- Obstetrical Ultrasound(American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America)
- Also available in Spanish
- Sonohysterography(American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America)
- Also available in Spanish
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You may also be interested in these related encyclopedia pages:
MEDICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA
Languages
Ultrasound - Multiple Languages