Duties And Responsibilities Of A Sonographer
A sonographer is a professional in the medical field
whose work involves capturing detailed images in different areas of the body,
making reports about the images and forwarding them to the requesting physician
in order to assist in the diagnosis and treatment of a patient. These
individuals can also be called as ultrasound technician, diagnostic medical
sonographer and ultrasound technician. In this type of physical scanning,
high-frequency sound waves are used to acquire the necessary images, unlike
others such as X-ray which makes use of radiation.
The sonographer generally makes use of an ultrasound
imaging equipment, which essentially collects all reflected ultrasound waves and
this generates on-screen images of the body part being scanned. Obstetrics is
the most common application of ultrasound technology, particularly with pregnant
women who wants to know the condition and other important information regarding
their baby. Other uses exist as well, such as scanning of the abdominal and
breast area for any signs of abnormalities. There are numerous schools and
universities all over the United States which offer ultrasound technician
training or sonography course which will prepare its students to acquire the
necessary knowledge and skills to be able to perform the duties and
responsibilities of a sonographer.
Fields of specialization which can be taken up by a
sonographer are as follows:
1.) Obstetrics and Gynecological Sonography – This
field performs imaging procedures on the female reproductive system. This is the
most common application of ultrasound technology, especially for pregnant women
who wants to take a sneak peek at their soon to be born baby. It can also be
used to diagnose and detect any problems in the reproductive system.
2.) Abdominal Sonography – this field deals with
taking images of the digestive system in order to detect any abnormalities in
any of its parts such as the stomach, liver, pancreas and gall bladder. This
field also scans for problems in the male reproductive system and the excretory
system, which includes the kidneys.
3.) Neurosonography – this field tackles everything
about the nervous system, particularly the brain. As with a regular
ultrasound
technician, a neurosonographer makes use of an identical transducer in order to
capture detailed images of the nervous system. The transducer refers to the
equipment which converts all signals it receives from a particular type of
energy into another. Take note that the sound waves and frequencies used in this
procedure is very much different from the ones used in gynecologic and obstetric
sonography. Take the case of premature infants -- a neurosonographer observes
and analyzes any neurological abnormalities present in the nervous system. Also
for babies who have been afflicted with a medical condition known as sickle-cell
anemia, ultrasound technicians might notice abnormal blood vessels which can be
a symptom of stroke. Sickle-cell anemia refers to a medical condition wherein
the red blood cells become stiff and malformed, usually crescent shaped, which
in turn decreases cell flexibility, limits flow of blood through the blood
vessels, and depriving oxygen for downstream tissues.
4.) Breast Sonography – As the name implies, this
field is centered on breast abnormalities. With it, tumors can be detected, and
the circumstances of blood supply can be properly examined. Any cancerous cells
can be properly detected through mammography procedures. An exclusive transducer
is also used for the examination of breast tissues.
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