About Ultrasound Exams

What is an Ultrasound?

Ultrasound exams use high-frequency sound waves that are inaudible to the human ear. These waves are transmitted through the body tissues using an instrument called a transducer, which transmits the information to a computer that displays the information on a computer monitor.

Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center uses state-of-the-art Ultrasound equipment. The images generated provide important information to assist your physician in diagnosing your medical condition and/or planning your course of treatment.

Common Uses

Ultrasound is used to create images of the soft tissue structures, such as the gall bladder, liver, heart, kidneys, pancreas, bladder, thyroid gland, prostate, female reproductive organs, and even babies in the uterus. Ultrasound can also measure the flow of blood in the arteries to detect blockages.

Safety

There are no harmful side effects and there is minimal to no discomfort during the test. In addition, ultrasound does not use radiation, as x-ray tests do.

Pediatric Patients

Experienced Radiologists and technologists dedicated to imaging pediatric patients utilize state-of-the-art equipment and pediatric-specific protocols. Ultrasound examinations in pediatric patients include:

• Cranial
• Thyroid
• Abdominal
• Renal
• Pelvic
• Testicular
• Spinal
• Hip
• Musculoskeletal