What is an ultrasound?
Ultrasound, also known as sonography, is a technology that enables our doctors to see inside your body to help with diagnosis and check the development of your baby if you’re pregnant.
Ultrasound uses high-frequency sound waves that humans can’t hear that bounce off soft tissues and organs as the scanner passes over your abdomen. A transducer records the echoes of the waves as they bounce back, creating an image of your internal organs and the fetus.
What is an ultrasound used for?
Ultrasound imaging technology is most widely known for its use in pregnancy. An ultrasound scan helps determine due dates from early in the pregnancy. During the course of the baby’s gestation, our doctors use ultrasound to:
- Identify multiple pregnancies
- Rule out ectopic pregnancy
- Detect congenital disabilities
- Check the health of the placenta
- Identify if the baby is in the breech position
- Determine the sex of the baby
- Estimate the size of the baby before delivery
In addition to its use as an obstetric tool, ultrasound is useful for diagnosing conditions that affect internal organs, such as the kidneys, bladder, uterus, and ovaries.
If you see Dr. Pinky Ronen, or Dr. Itai Ronen, about a fertility problem, he uses ultrasound to confirm when you’re ovulating, helping to improve your chances of conceiving.
What are the advantages of ultrasound?
Ultrasound is one of the safest diagnostic tools. Unlike X-rays or CT scans, there’s no exposure to any ionizing radiation during the scan. There haven’t been any harmful outcomes for patients in the many years' ultrasound has been in use.
Ultrasounds are noninvasive, so there’s no need for an anesthetic, injections, or incisions. It’s better than X-rays for showing images of soft tissues.
What happens during an ultrasound procedure?
Our doctors perform ultrasound scans in his procedure room, so you won’t need to go offsite for your scan. You might have to carry out certain preparations for the ultrasound. For instance, you may need to ensure you have a full bladder.
Our doctors uses a special gel to allow the scanner to move across your skin easily and smoothly. The images show up on the monitor screen as he moves the scanner across your abdomen.
An ultrasound can take up to an hour, depending on why you need the scan, but you should feel comfortable during the procedure.
To take advantage of Dr. Pinky Ronen's & Dr. Itai Ronen's expertises and convenient onsite ultrasound technology, call Dr. Ronen OB/GYN today or book an appointment online.
