An ultrasound is a medical imaging technique uses high frequency sound waves to look inside the body. During World War 2, there was a lot of research of radar and sonar which led to the invention and progress of the ultrasound device. It was invented by Ian Donald in 1957. It was first tested on a pregnant woman but later used for more purposes. The ultrasound was improved and also led to the development of other useful medical instruments such as the device CAVITRON, which destroys tumours. (1)
In an ultrasound the following things happen. Before the ultrasound takes place, an oil based jelly is put on the area to help the sound waves pass through. First, the ultrasound machine transmits high-frequency sound pulses into you using a probe. Second, the sound waves travel into your body and hit tissues. Then, some sound waves are reflected back to the probe, and some travel further on until they hit something else and are reflected back. Next, the machine picks up the reflected waves and transfers it to the machine. Now, the machine calculates the distance from the probe to the tissues using the speed of sound in tissue and the time of the echo’s return. The machine displays the distance and intensity of the echo’s which makes a two-dimensional image. This is similar to the way oceanographers study the ocean floor. (2)
In Canada, ultrasounds are free if you are a Canadian citizen. In other countries such as the United States, you have to pay for your ultrasound. (3)
To get a degree in ultrasound in Canada, you have to complete 2 to 4 years of schooling. In India, you can take 6 month courses and be qualified to practice ultrasound. In Australia, a 4 year course is required to get your diploma in this area of expertise. The courses vary in length in different countries, but some short ones are not adequate. (4)(5)(6)(7)
In first world countries the technology in ultrasound tends to be better. In third world countries, they either do not have it or
Bibliography: 1) Oracle Think Quest [Internet]. California: [Publisher unknown]; 2011 [cited 2013 March 22]. Available from: http://library.thinkquest.org/16541/eng/learn/library/content/ultrasound.htm 2) Freudenrich C. How Stuff Works [Internet]. [Place unknown]:HowStuffWorks.inc; 2013 [cited 2013 March 22]. Available from: http://science.howstuffworks.com/ultrasound1.htm 3) CompareUltrasoundCost [Internet]. [Place unknown]: [Publisher unknown]; [Date unknown] [cited 2013 March 27]. Available from: http://www.compareultrasoundcost.com/ 4) Trade Schools, Colleges & Universities [Internet]. British Columbia: Beelineweb; [Date unknown] [cited 2013 March 27]. Available from: http://www.trade-schools.net/career-counselor/ultrasound-tech-sonographer-information.asp 5) Dr.Udayakumar. Angelfire [Internet]. India: Angelfire; [updated 2013; cited 2013 March 27]. Available from: http://www.angelfire.com/ut/ultrasoundtraining/ 6) CQUniversity Australia [Internet]. Australia: CQUniversity; [Date unknown] [cited 2013 March 27]. Available from: http://www.cqu.edu.au/study/what-can-i-study/health-and-medical-sciences/undergraduate-programs/bachelor-of-medical-sonography-and-graduate-diploma-of-medical-sonography 7) Bates, Jane. The British Medical Ultrasound Society [Internet]. [Place unknown] BMUS; [updated September 3; cited 2013 March 27]. Available from: http://www.bmus.org/policies-guides/pg-protocol01.asp 8) Gilani, Syed. WebMedCentral [Internet]. [Place unknown] WebMedCentral; [updated 2011, March 14; cited 2013 March 27]. Available from: http://www.webmedcentral.com/article_view/1753 9) Kristof. PubMed [Internet]. [Place unknown] PubMed; [updated December 4; cited 2013 March 27]. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12179727