Washington: The shrinking size of an ultrasound equipment will make it as handy as a doctor`s stethoscope.
Yale School of Medicine clinicians Christopher L. Moore and Joshua A. Copel have outlined how ultrasound has moved beyond radiology and is being employed across diverse medical specialties.
Over the past two decades, ultrasonography, a safe and effective imaging tool, has led to the growth of point-of-care ultrasonography, performed and interpreted by the clinician at the bedside, The New England Journal of Medicine reports.
"Ideally, point-of-care ultrasonography can decrease medical errors, provide more real-time diagnosis, and supplement or replace more advanced imaging in appropriate situations," said Moore, assistant professor in emergency medicine at Yale School.
Ultrasound imaging uses the same sonar developed for ships at sea. As sound passes through the body it produces echoes, which can identify the distance, size and shape of objects inside, according to a Yale School statement.
During an examination, the transducer machine is used to view an organ and produce pictures. The transducer emits sound and detects the returning echoes when it is placed on or over the body part being studied.
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