What is an ultrasound?

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An ultrasound scan is a medical test that uses high-frequency sound waves to capture live images from the inside of your body. It’s also known as sonography. The technology is similar to that used by sonar and radar, which help the military detect planes and ships. An ultrasound allows your doctor to see problems with organs, vessels, and tissues without needing to make an incision. Unlike other imaging techniques, ultrasound uses no radiation.

An ultrasound can provide a view of the: bladder, brain (in infants)eyes, gallbladder, kidneys, liver, ovaries, pancreas, spleent, hyroid, testicles, uterus, blood vessels 

How it's done?

An ultrasound technician, called a sonographer, will apply a special lubricating jelly to your skin. This prevents friction so they can rub the ultrasound transducer on your skin. 

The transducer has a similar appearance to a microphone. The jelly also helps transmit the sound waves. The transducer sends high-frequency sound waves through your body. The waves echo as they hit a dense object, such as an organ or bone. 

Those echoes are then reflected back into a computer. The sound waves are at too high of a pitch for the human ear to hear. They form a picture that can be interpreted by the doctor.