Criteria for identifying abnormalities

Once the sonographer checks all the anatomical parts to be in place than they check for any abnormalities or presence of pathologies. 

The border of the structure may be smooth and well defined, or irregular.

The texture (parenchyma) of the structure is either homogeneous or heterogenous.

The characteristic of an organ or of a mass is said to be anechoic, hypoechoic, isoechoic, hyperechoic, or echogenic to the rest of the parenchyma.

The transmission of the sound is either increased, decreased, or unchanged. An anechoic mass will show increased transmission of sound, whereas a dermoid tumor will show decreased transmission. 

Structures may be identified as cystic, complex, or solid. Transmission is altered depending on what the mass is.

Cystic: A cyst has smooth, well-defined borders, anechoic, increased through-transmission.

Complex: Has characteristics of both a cyst and a solid structure.

Solid: Irregular borders, internal echoes, decreased through transmission.

Ultrasound Pictures

These are pictures of the ultrasound protocol my teacher was doing one day in lab. It shows to baby's she was having fraternal twins.

Medical terms for sonography

For every examination a sonographer is required to describe the normal and abnormal things they see after an examination. Here are the words they use and what their definition is.

_Anechoic or Sonolucent: Without internal echoes; the structure is fluid-filled and transmits sound easily.

_Echogenic or Hyperechoic: Echo producing structure; reflects sound with a brighter intensity.

_Enhancement , increased through-transmission: sound that travels through an anechoic (fluid filled) substance and is not attenuated; there is increased brightness directly beyond the posterior border of the anechoic structure as compared with the surrounding are.

_Fluid-fluid level: interface between two fluids with different acoustic characteristics; this level will change with patient position.

_Heterogeneous: not uniform in texture or composition.

_Homogeneous: Completely uniform in texture or composition.

_Hypoechoic: Low-level echoes within a structure.

_Infiltrating: Usually refers to a diffuse disease process or metastatic disease.

_Irregular borders: Borders are not well defined, are ill defined, or are not present.

_Isoechoic: Very close to the normal parenchyma echogenicity pattern.

_Loculated mass: Well defined borders with internal echoes; the septa may be thin (likely benign) or thick (likely malignant).

_Shadowing: The sound beam is attenuated by a solid or calcified object; this reflection or absorption may be partial or complete; air bubbles in the duodenum may cause a "dirty shadow" to occur secondary to reflection; a stone would cause a sharp shadow posterior to its border.

Foundations of Sonography

Lets start off with explaining the word "Ultrasound". Within the fields of acoustics, ultrasound is defined as sound frequencies beyond the upper limits of human hearing, that is, greater than 20 kilohertz. Many theories have been told about sound.

Diagnostic Medical Sonography
Sonography, Ultrasound, and Ultrasonography have been used to describe an imaging technique used to visualize soft tissue structures of the body by recording the returning reflection of ultrasonic waves directed into the body. The creators of the ultrasound machine where a group of investigators who each discovered different techniques and brought those ideas together to create one, one in which created the Ultrasound Machine.

The role of the Sonographer
To produce the highest quality sonographic image for interpretation, the sonographer must posses an in-depth understanding of anatomy and pathophysiology and be able to evaluate the patient's problems.

This is the beginning of chapter one, next blog will be about medical terms.

Ultrasound

I am new to this blogging thing. I've decided to start a blog to get better in my writing skills so I've decided to choose a topic for the very first blog and I wanted it to be based on Ultrasound because it is what I am studying. I want to be an Ultrasound technician. I've finally finished all of my laboratory hours and I am excited and nervous at the same time about the exams that I need to start studying for. Anyways I wanted to start talking about Ultrasound and how it works but first I need to see what I'll start talking about. >_<