Ultrasound

What is Ultrasound?

Ultrasound imaging, also called sonography, uses high-frequency sound waves to obtain images of many internal organs including, but not limited to, the heart, liver, gallbladder, spleen, kidneys, breast, blood vessels and bladder. Ultrasound images also enable physicians to see movement such as blood flow and heart valve functions. Obstetric ultrasound is used to determine the condition of a pregnant woman and her fetus. Doppler ultrasound is used to look for blockages to blood flow and narrowing of blood vessels.

How is an ultrasound conducted?

During and ultrasound, you are usually positioned on an examination table and clear gel is applied to the body part that will be examined. A transducer that produces sound waves is placed firmly on the skin and moved back and forth. The sounds waves produced by the transducer flow freely through the gel and bounce back to the transducer. As the sound waves echo back to the transducer it records the strength and character of the reflected waves to create images of the organs. The examination usually takes less than 30 minutes.

How do I schedule an appointment?

A physician's order is required to perform an ultrasound scan. Appointments can be scheduled by calling Central Scheduling at 520-469-8810.

How do I get my results?

The results of the ultrasound are interpreted by one of our board-certified radiologists. The report is sent to your physician who can discuss the results with you.