Ultrasound is a flexible, versatile, and valuable tool. While people tend to associate it with fetal imaging, it has much broader applicability. It can diagnose anything from cardiac to neurological problems, detect cancers, and even measure blood flow. Since ultrasound has a diverse range of uses, it only makes sense that sonographers, also known as ultrasound technicians or technologists, have several specialized disciplines. Let’s look at the different types of ultrasound technicians and what they do.
What Do Sonographers Do?
Sonographers use a handheld device, called a transducer, probe, or transducer probe, to direct high-frequency sound waves into the patient’s body. By analyzing the resulting echoes, ultrasound machines can determine the location and density of certain organs and tissues, creating a black-and-white image of them on screen. By changing the probe’s frequencies, sonographers can adapt to different types of organs and tissues. General sonographers perform most routine ultrasound tests and have some specialized anatomical and technical knowledge. Like all sonographers, they have the technical skills and personality required to perform their job efficiently. By taking an examination, general sonographers can become certified in specialized areas of sonography, including:
Echocardiography
Echocardiographers specialize in the heart. They use ultrasound to create images of the muscular organ and monitor its function and capacity. There are separate subspecialties of echocardiography, including adult, fetal, and pediatric.
Neurosonography
Another one of the different types of ultrasound technicians is a neurosonographer. Neurosonographers specialize in the brain and spine. They detect and image conditions of these two vital parts, helping neurologists and neurosurgeons diagnose and treat their patients.
Obstetric and Gynecological Ultrasound
Sonographers that specialize in obstetric and gynecological ultrasound have specialized knowledge of the female reproductive system. They’re able to create images of unborn infants in the womb and use their imaging skills to detect and diagnose a wide variety of reproductive and urinary tract conditions.
Vascular Sonography
These sonographers are specialized in imaging the circulatory system’s veins, arteries, and smaller blood vessels. They’re able to detect weak slots in need of repair, pinpoint the location of aneurysms, and record and measure the flow of blood.
