Ultrasound technology allows medical professionals to look inside a patient without resorting to surgery. A transmitter is used to send high frequency sound waves in the body; the waves bounce off the different tissues and organs and hence produce a unique pattern of echoes. A receiver attached, hears the returning echo pattern and it sends it to a computer translating the data into an image on a television screen. Ultrasound can differentiate subtle variations between soft and fluid-filled tissues and is very useful in providing diagnostic images of the abdomen.
Ultrazvuk abdomena identifies abnormalities in liver, pancreas, gallbladder, spleen and kidneys. It is also used to identify and see fetal development in pregnancy. Moreover, it is also used to help guide in procedures like needle biopsies. In this procedure a needle takes a small sample of tissue and then that sample is sent to a laboratory.
Ultrazvuk abdomena is non-ionizing radiation hence it has no known negative effects. It is often used in conjunction with other imaging techniques. Ultrasound, x-ray, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) takes body images using diverse technologies and every technique is quite helpful in determining mass properties resulting in more complete diagnosis.
Ultrasound procedure produces sound waves quite above the frequency of human hearing capability that is about 20 thousand hertz, or cycles per second. Medical ultrasound normally uses frequencies between one and 10 million hertz (1-10 MHz). Higher the frequency, the more detailed images but has a downside that they are also more readily absorbed so the waves cannot penetrate as deeply into the body. Ultrazvuk abdomena is generally performed at frequencies between 2-5 MHz.
Bowel gas often makes it difficult to see internal organs. If a loop of gas-filled bowel lies between the transducer and the organ being imaged, an artifact called shadowing is seen on the image which blocks the view of the organ. Patients are often asked to fast for eight hours prior to the examination which allows bowel gas to subside for optimal imaging. Usually the patient undresses for this procedure. The shirt is pulled up around the chest and towels are used to protect the clothing from the ultrasound gel. This gel is water based solvent and doesn’t damage clothing. After drying it looks like a white splotch that can be easily removed.
The organs imaged during an Ultrazvuk abdomena consist of pancreas which is located in the upper, middle region of the abdomen, liver – a large organ that lies in the right upper quadrant of the abdomen and its size is measured. The patient usually lies on their back during the imaging of the liver and pancreas. The gallbladder is located underneath the liver and should be imaged with the patient in two positions, either lying on back or on the left side thus allowing the Sonographer to differentiate between gallstones and polyps as gallstones will move within the gallbladder with the change in position. Regardless of the potential difficulties encountered, ultrasound is faster and less expensive than computed tomography scans (CT), its primary rival in abdominal imaging.
Having problem in your abdomen? First thing that you must do is to visit your nearest doctor and ask for ultrazvuk abdomena (ultrasound of abdomen). At http://www.antamedica.com/ you will get the information about abdomena and its possible solutions. We hope you have enjoyed this article.