Sonography is a diagnostic medical test that uses high-frequency sound waves, or ultrasound waves, to create images of tissues, glands, organs, and blood or fluid flow within the body. This test is also referred to as an ultrasound or sonogram.
Sonography uses a device called a transducer on the surface of the skin to send ultrasound waves and listen for an echo. A computer translates the ultrasound waves into an image. A trained technician can see, measure, and identify structures in the image. A healthcare provider then reads the images to help diagnose the issue or problem at hand.
A sonogram captures a live image of what's going on inside the body. It functions like a camera that takes pictures of body parts or processes in real time.
Sonography is useful for evaluating the size, shape, and density of tissues to help diagnose certain medical conditions. Traditionally, ultrasound imaging is great for looking into the abdomen without having to cut it open.
Abdominal ultrasound is often used to diagnose:
A sonogram is most commonly used to monitor the development of the uterus and fetus during pregnancy. It can also be used to evaluate glands, breast lumps, joint conditions, bone disease, testicular lumps, or to guide needles during biopsies.
Sonography can also recognize blood or fluid flow that moves toward or away from the transducer. It uses color overlays on the image to show the direction of the flow. Very hard and dense tissues or empty spaces, such as organs filled with gas, do not conduct ultrasound waves and therefore cannot be viewed on a sonogram.
Physicians often order a sonogram before moving on to imaging technologies that have more potential for complications.1 Computerized tomography (CT), for example, exposes you to significant levels of radiation.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) uses an extremely strong magnet to capture an image. The strength of an MRI magnet can limit its use in patients with metal or devices in their bodies, such as some pacemakers.