Diagnostic Medical Sonography News April 2020 | Page 8

The Safest Ultrasound Patient
is an Educated One
Sonography, or ultrasonography, is a non-invasive imaging technique that
uses soundwaves to create images of internal structures in the body. The use
of soundwaves makes this process safer than X-rays, which use radiation to
obtain an image. In case your doctor asks you to get an ultrasound to diagnose
something of interest, it is beneficial to become familiar with terms that will
increase your odds of a safe and successful ultrasound. In this article, we discuss
the terms “bioeffects” and “cavitation.”
Bioeffects are the effects that ultrasound causes on biological tissues. Thermal
and mechanical are two types of bioeffects. The thermal bioeffect may cause
harm to fetal tissue when heat is produced during an ultrasound, as fetal bone
absorbs the most amount of ultrasound. This means that it is not a good idea
for mothers to have prolonged sessions of sonograms in the first trimester –
especially not for entertainment purposes, such as keepsake videos. Thermal
bioeffects may cause harm to adults as well, which is why there is a thermal
index for soft tissues, bones and the cranium.
Mechanical bioeffects may occur from back-and-forth movement on the tissue.
Cavitation is another potential bioeffect from ultrasound, as pulsing waves can
disrupt the cells, causing gases to escape and form bubbles. These bubbles can
burst or implode, resulting in physiological changes within the tissue. While this
has been researched for tissue regeneration or fat reduction methods, a trained
ultrasound technician needs to consider the risk to their patient, particularly
when there is a fetus involved.
EFSC’s Diagnostic Medical Sonography Associate in Science degree is a program
accredited by the CAAHED. This means that registered sonographers (including
EFSC graduates) are made aware of the American Institute of Ultrasound in
Medicine’s recommendations to reduce bioeffects. They follow the ALARA
principle: As Low As Reasonably Achievable. Because of the sonographer’s
knowledge of anatomy and physics, ultrasounds can be done properly and in
a timely manner. Now that you’re aware of some of the medical terminology,
you can get an ultrasound knowing that it is both safe and effective, especially if
your sonographer is a Titan!
Diagnostic
Medical
Sonography
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Jessica Crush and Erica Dotson
Sonography Interns