How does Ultrasound work?

What is the procedure like for the patient?

How do I prepare?

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Ultrasound

Athens Regional Medical Center offers two locations for diagnostic ultrasound imaging. At ARMC we have three Acuson Sequoia 512 machines with two in use inside the hospital and one at our outpatient facility, The Physician’s Imaging Center. Appointments are scheduled for inside the hospital Monday through Friday 8AM until 8:30 PM. Appointments are available at the Physician’s Imaging Center Monday through Friday from 8:15 AM until 3:30 PM.

What is Ultrasound?
Ultrasound is a method in which sound waves are used to detect and diagnose various conditions and internal diseases without the use of radiation. Ultrasound is used for all parts of the body and is effective in the clinical evaluation of the following:

- Abdominal organs

- Blood flow and vessel disorders

- Infection

- Muscuskeletal exams, such as imaging baby hips and spine.

- High-risk neonatal exams

-Obstetric exams – 1st, 2nd, and 3rd trimester

-Pelvic disorders

-Small parts exams, such as breasts, testicles, and the thyroid

-Soft tissue abnormalities

-Special procedures such as paracentesis, thoracentesis and intraoperative exams

How does Ultrasound work?

Athens Regional Medical center is proud to have the latest technology available to our patients. Our Sequoia 512 Ultrasound system by Acuson, a Siemens company, is rewriting the history of ultrasound. Acuson developed a fundamentally new way to form an ultrasound image called coherent image formation. Ultrasound uses sound-wave echoes, which contain two types of information – phase and amplitude-- each of which contains one half of the information of the exam. Unlike conventional ultrasound systems, which produce images based only on the amplitude information, coherent image formation uses both the phase and amplitude information to form more complete and clear ultrasound images based on all of the diagnostic information available. Physicians and staff can now routinely see anatomy and physiology not seen with conventional ultrasound, which results in better differentiation between healthy and diseased tissue within the body.

What is the procedure like for the patient?

A technologist will ask you to change into a gown and they then will assist you onto a padded exam table. You will be asked to lie still for 30 to 45 minutes while the test is conducted. The technologist will first spread a warm gel on your skin which helps make the image of the ultrasound clear. Then the tech will place a wand (called a transducer) over the gel and the area to be studied. Most patients do not feel any kind of sensation while the procedure takes place. A Radiologist will typically read the results within one day and the report will be sent to your doctor’s office.

How do I prepare for the exam?

Special preparation is required for certain ultrasound examinations, such as fasting or presenting with a full bladder. These preps will be discussed with your doctor at the time of scheduling your procedure. Please call your doctor or ARMC Radiology scheduling (706) 475-9729 to confirm what prep is needed for your exam.