Ultrasound is a safe, painless diagnostic procedure that uses high frequency sound waves to see specific areas within the body. It uses the same echo-locating principles of sonar technology employed for decades by ships at sea.

Sound waves directed into the body produce echoing waves as they bounce against the internal fluids of the human body. The echoes are captured and reconstructed by a sophisticated computer software into live images on the computer monitor.

The primary benefit of ultrasound is its ability to generate highly-detailed images without being invasive and without using radiation. Because it is considered so safe and simple, ultrasound has become the diagnostic tool of choice to examine the well-being of unborn children as well as many other specific exams.

EPIC Imaging provides a wide-range of ultrasound services for obstetrical, general diagnostic and vascular patients. We feature four different ultrasound-imaging technologies. EPIC's most recent acquisition includes a state-of-the-art Toshiba system with the latest in color flow and doppler capabilities.

Ultrasound uses high frequency sound waves that are both emitted and received by a small hand-held device called a transducer. The transducer is placed in close contact with the skin and a gel-like substance is used to ensure that contact is optimized. The sound waves that are generated will be at a frequency that the human ear is unable to detect, but that will pass easily and without feeling through the body. As the sound waves move through the various structures, "echoes" will bounce back and be captured by the ultrasound computer attached to the transducer. These echoes will be displayed instantly as real time images on a television-like monitor. Depending on the type of exam the physician has requested, images will be selectively captured onto film for the radiologist to interpret.

Another technique is doppler ultrasound, using sound waves and specialized equipment to record the minute changes that document moving blood flow within either the vessels or heart of a patient or an unborn child.

Since its introduction in medicine in the 1950s, ultrasound has been widely used as a safe and effective tool to aid with diagnosis. Perhaps the most widely recognized role of ultrasound is in the area of obstetrics. With no known side effects or radiation, ultrasound continues to be the preferred imaging method for use with pregnant women and unborn children.

In addition, ultrasound has emerged as an invaluable technology for many other areas as well. Used to evaluate major blood vessels, ultrasound helps to look for potential blockages to flow by plaque or clots. Ultrasound is also used to evaluate abdominal or pelvic pain as in the case of gallstones, liver disorders or appendicitis. And ultrasound provides another, useful way to evaluate breast tissue as a follow-up to mammography. At EPIC we frequently perform breast ultrasound exams as a way to further define possible irregularities found during mammograms. These follow-up exams are often performed on the same day as the initial mammogram to help ease a woman's anxiety and to provide another, non-invasive tool for diagnosis.