After the Ultrasound, Ultrasound Risks and Results

   After the Ultrasound

     Once the ultrasound procedure is complete, gel will be wiped off your skin and you should be able to resume your normal activities immediately in most cases or within a few hours if a more invasive study is done.

 Ultrasound Risks

     According to the Food and Drug Administration, ultrasound has an excellent safety record since it was put into regular use more than 30 years ago.
     It avoids the use of radiation that is common in other diagnostic procedures by using harmless sound waves to produce images.
     By using ultrasound technology to assist in other procedures, you may also reduce the risk and increase the effectiveness of those other procedures.
     Specialized high intensity ultrasound waves like those used for ESWL and HIFU have the ability to cause discomfort and potentially serious damage to tissue nearby the area of treatment. These risks are minimized by good control of wave intensity exposure timing and focus techniques.

Ultrasound Results

     An ultrasound technician will usually perform the procedure. Images are usually available immediately from the scan but they need to be interpreted by a radiologist.
     The radiologist's report is given to the physician who ordered the ultrasound, who will then discuss results with you.
     There are limitations to ultrasound that may affect the results. Ultrasound is not the recommended procedure for:

• Bowel or organs obscured by the bowel: Air and gas can disrupt the ultrasound waves. 
• Obese patients: The more tissue the sound waves have to pass through, the weaker the signal and image becomes. 
• Internal structure of bones or certain joints: Ultrasound has difficulty penetrating bone.