Ultrasounds, also known as sonography, use ultrasound gel that is applied to the skin and sound waves are transferred from the probe, through the gel and to the tissues under the skin. The transducer or probe is a little handheld device and the gel sends out sound waves into the body that bounce back and a computer or television monitor creates an image with those waves to determine the size, shape, …show more content…
The blood flow being evaluated can be in the arms, legs, arteries and veins in the abdomen, and many other body organs such as the kidneys or liver. Some children or infants can even undergo a Doppler ultrasound for their neck or brain. In this technologically advanced ultrasound, something called the Doppler effect is caused when moving blood cells reflect sound waves and change pitch. In pregnancies, a Doppler ultrasound can be utilized to check an unborn child’s health in the …show more content…
This test is performed like a traditional ultrasound to produce images of a blood vessel as well as the organs surrounding it. These photos are then transformed into a graph of blood flow measurements. It shows the speed and direction of time in a blood vessel.
The final form of Doppler ultrasound is called a “bedside” or continuous wave Doppler. Bedside Dopplers use the pitch of sound waves to gather information on a blood vessel. Also, blood flow can be accessed from an area that might be very narrow or even blocked. This form of Doppler ultrasound is called “bedside” because it uses a portable ultrasound machine that can be performed at bedside in a hospital.
As you can see, technology is very, very critical to the undertaking of ultrasounds. Without ultrasounds, it would be really complex to find some specific medical problems like tumors and you wouldn’t be able to see your baby until it is born, which might be fun to be in for a gender surprise. However, that means you don’t know if it is a boy or girl, therefore, you don’t know what clothes to buy or what color to paint the nursery, although you could always paint it green or yellow, but most importantly, you would not know if your baby is healthy and forming properly. Today, you can even get a 3-D ultrasound to see how your baby is doing in the womb or for medical complications or concerns. Without technology, the medical field would be very limited and the idea