Types of Ultrasound
This diagnostic procedure tracks changes in a patient's cardiac output and fluid volume. These are critical indicators of how well the heart is transporting blood and oxygen to the organs.
Transcranial Doppler
Transcranial doppler (TCD) is a noninvasive and painless ultrasound technique that uses sound waves to evaluate blood flow (blood circulation) in and around the brain. There is no special contrast or radiation involved in the test. Physicians recommend this test to determine if there is anything happening in the blood vessels that is affecting blood flow to the brain.
Abdominal Ultrasound
An abdominal ultrasound is a safe and painless procedure that uses sound waves to "see" inside your body. Doppler allows our specialists to evaluate the blood flow through the arteries and veins of your abdomen. The scan can help diagnose obstructions in the blood flow to your abdominal organs, as well as helping to detect conditions such as abdominal masses, gallbladder disease, and gallstones, as well as problems in the liver, kidneys, pancreas or spleen.
Pelvic Ultrasound
A pelvic ultrasound can help determine the cause of pain or bleeding in the reproductive organs.
Renal Ultrasound
A renal ultrasound is used to detect a mass, cyst, kidney stone or other obstruction in the kidney.
Bladder Ultrasound
A bladder ultrasound is a safe and painless test that uses sound waves to make images of the bladder before and after urination.
Carotid Ultrasound
Carotid ultrasound uses sound waves to produce pictures of the carotid arteries in the neck which carry blood from the heart to the brain. A Doppler ultrasound study, a technique that evaluates blood flow through a blood vessel, is usually part of this exam. It's most frequently used to screen patients for blockage or narrowing of the carotid arteries, a condition called stenosis which may increase the risk of stroke.
Head Ultrasound
Ultrasound imaging of the head uses sound waves to produce pictures of the brain and cerebrospinal fluid. It is most commonly performed on infants, whose skulls have not completely formed. A transcranial Doppler ultrasound evaluates blood flow in the brain's major arteries. A head ultrasound is safe, noninvasive and does not use ionizing radiation.
Paracentesis
Paracentesis is a commonly performed bedside procedure by which peritoneal fluid is obtained from the peritoneal cavity. This procedure is performed in patients with ascites for diagnostic or therapeutic reasons. The procedure can be done with or without the use of ultrasound in assisting with the procedure. As ultrasound can detect as little as 100ml of fluid, it is considered the gold standard for diagnosing ascites.
Vascular Ultrasound
Vascular ultrasound uses sound waves to evaluate the body's circulatory system and help identify blockages in the arteries and veins and detect blood clots. A Doppler ultrasound study, a technique that evaluates blood flow through a blood vessel, is usually part of this exam. Vascular ultrasound does not use ionizing radiation, has no known harmful effects and provides images of soft tissues that don't show up on X-ray images.