Ultrasonography

Medical ultrasound

The most common type of visual diagnostics. The method is based on the ability of organ and bone tissues to reflect ultrasonic waves in different ways. The ultrasound device (ultrasound scanner) emits ultrasonic waves and receives a feedback signal, which is a reflection of the wave from the examined organ. The received signal is processed by a computer and the corresponding image is transmitted to the screen.

When ultrasound is prescribed:

The efficiency and safety of ultrasound diagnostics allows using it in the most cases of medical examination, both emergency and scheduled. Ultrasound in «Manufactura» clinic performed under family doctor or therapist or doctor of a particular speciality  prescription , as well as at the individual request of the patient. It is important to understand that any examination, including ultrasound, is not a definitive diagnosis, and the medical opinion made by the diagnostician during the examination is intended primarily for the attending physician.

Ultrasound diagnosis allows you to get detailed images of internal organs and see any tumors at an early stage. It is believed that ultrasound is highly informative in the study of thyroid and mammary glands, liver, kidneys, prostate, uterus, ovaries, peripheral lymph nodes, but ultrasound is also effectively used to examine almost all organs, soft tissues, bones, ligaments and blood vessels. The diagnostic capabilities of ultrasound are enhanced by duplex scanning using Doppler mapping. This method allows you to assess the blood supply to the body and adjacent vascular arteries.

There are no contraindications to the use of ultrasound and duplex scanning.

Ultrasound examinations are used for:

• identifing the causes of internal organs disorders or their inflammatory state;
• early diagnosis of tumors including the differentiation of malignant, due to their specific features;
• detection of metastases and recurrence of cancer;
• healthy pregnancy monitoring and timely detection of development abnormalities in fetal;
• supervision of previously detected pathology and organsdiseases;
• treatment supervision and preventive diagnosis.

Even in the absence of health complaints ultrasound is recommended as a preventive purpose:

• Mammary glands and female genitals ultrasound scan once a year for women over 20 years;
• Genitals ultrasound scan once a year for men over 40 years;
• Thyroid gland ultrasound once a year, especially for women planning a pregnancy;
• Preventive ultrasound of the abdominal cavity should be performed once every 5 years.
• If any health deviation is detected - chronic or systemic diseases, the attending physician shall prescribe the patient an individual schedule of ultrasound examination.

How to prepare for ultrasound and how it is performed:

The examination is performed through the skin with the use of medical gel ensuring the coupling of the scanner with the body. Oftenly, pelvic ultrasound is performed transvaginally and transrectally. It should be kept in mind that transvaginal ultrasound is more informative when diagnosis.

For the efficy and thorough diagnosis some types of examination shall be performed under special preparation rules:

For transabdominal gynecological examination you should drink about 1.5-2 liters of still water for an hour refrain from toilet before the ultrasound. Examination of pregnant women may require 1-2 glasses of water an hour before the examination. At transvaginal ultrasound vice versa it is necessary to visit a toilet. Keep in mind that gynecological ultrasound scan depends on the menstrual period and the complaints shall be consider when prescribing the examination, you should ask your doctor about the days of the cycle during which you need to be examined.

The prostate examination requires a cleansing enema in the evening and morning (on the day of ultrasound). At transabdominal ultrasound it is necessary to drink 1.5-2 liters of still water an hour before the examination and refrain from the toilet.

Ultrasound diagnosis of the abdominal cavity and ultrasound of the intestine are performed in fasting state, when the last meal is no later than 12 hours before the examination. It is also required to keep a diet during a day before: to exclude dairy and sour milk products, fatty meats, confectionery, raw vegetables and fruits, legumes, bran and yeast bread, other long-digested products, as well as coffee, strong tea and alcohol. Eating on the eve of the study should be divided into 5 small portions. We recommend that within 3-5 days before the examination to take a course of medication to improve digestion and reduce flatulence: "Espumizan" 1 tab. 3 times/day. In the evening and in the morning before research it is necessary to make a clearing enema, in the morning it is necessary to refrain from a toilet (some liquid in intestines are neccessary for examination). Ultrasound of the intestine is performed with a contrast agent that is injected into the anus with a thin tube. After the contrast is injected, the doctor instruct you when and how to turn so that the contrast spread through over the intestines.

When abdominal cavity ultrasound is prescribed you should inform the doctor if any antispasmodics medicine are taken or you have recently undergone a contrast study of the digestive system.

Mammary glands ultrasound are performed within the 5th and 12th day of the period (counting from the first day of the last menstrual period). For women at menopause at any time.

All other types of ultrasound do not require special preparation. But we recommend to ask your doctor if any requirement are neccessary for your particular type of examination in view of your health and body condition or disease existed.