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Sonography is a painless medical procedure that useshigh-frequency sound waves to produce visual images of organs,tissues and blood flow inside the body. It was first used inobstetrics to look at fetal development in the 1970s, but sincethen has moved to multiple branches of health care and is used toexamine the abdomen, breasts, prostate, female reproductive organs,heart, blood vessels and other areas. Sonography is used in both adiagnostic and therapeutic capacity.

In obstetrics, sonography is still used to determine the age andlocation of a fetus as well as to check for potential birthdefects. As sonogram technology has advanced over the years, it hasbecome possible to see fetuses in greater detail.

Beyond obstetrics, diagnostic medical sonography is also used todiagnose heart disease. And therapeutically, the practice is oftenused to speed the healing of injured muscles and joints through theapplication of deep heat.

Individuals who complete diagnostic medical sonography training take courses that teachthem how to create images of structures inside the body through theuse of ultrasound.

During a sonogram, the sonographer (also called anultrasonographer) applies an odorless gel to the area to beexamined. This gel helps conduct the sound waves from theultrasound transducer to the area of focus. The sonographer movesthe transducer around on the skin, sending a stream ofhigh-frequency sound waves into the body that bounce off the organsand tissues inside.

Because the technique is being used more often in hospitalsaround the country, there’s an increased need for sonographers.People who want to pursue the career enroll in ultrasound technician school and take diagnostic medicalsonography courses that cover an array of topics in obstetrics andgynecology. A comprehensive healthcare program will teach students how to study the femalereproductive system and track growth and health duringpregnancy.

In addition, students will take classes covering abdominalsonography that teach them how to diagnose conditions involving thegallbladder, bile ducts, liver, kidney, pancreas and spleen. Aspart of their diagnostic medical sonography training, students alsolearn to examine the nervous system, cardiovascular system, bladderand eyes.

Medical technology continues to generate new applications forsonography procedures, and as a result, there are a growing numberof career opportunities for sonographers who have earned diagnosticmedical sonography diplomas. And as the population grows and ages,the need for professionals who have graduated from diagnosticmedical sonography programs is expected to increase.

Information in this article was provided by the Sanford-BrownInstitute – Ft. Lauderdale. Contact Sanford-Brown today if you’reinterested in developing marketable knowledge and career-relevantskills with an industry-current degree program. (Sanford-BrownInstitute does not guarantee employment or salary.)

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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