Why are ultrasounds used instead of x rays

X-Ray imaging is one of the fastest and easiest ways for a physician to view the internal organs and the conditions of bones.

Because X-Rays are inexpensive and useful they comprise a majority of all diagnostic procedures done on a worldwide annual basis. Generally speaking , ultrasounds are particularly effective for imaging soft tissues and structures, as well as motion; X-rays are particularly effective for imaging hard tissues or structures and air-filled parts , according to veterinarian Dr.

Michael Watts in his column for the Culpeper Star-Exponent. For example, ultrasound may be more effective when imaging breasts with dense tissue. Or, according to Dr. James Zaccaria in a video released by the Foot and Ankle Center , both X-rays and ultrasounds are used to diagnose foot and ankle injuries and pathology. He mentioned that X-rays are effective for zeroing in on the bones and identifying fractures as well as joint ailments. ScienceDaily, 28 October American College of Chest Physicians.

X-rays overused in ICU: Ultrasound safer, just as effective. Retrieved November 12, from www. As future missions look to The model is America's first collaborative care concept focusing on the extensive cognitive, physical, Research has ScienceDaily shares links with sites in the TrendMD network and earns revenue from third-party advertisers, where indicated.

Here are some of the most common tests we offer at Independent Imaging:. In a completely dark room, the tube was covered in black paper, and he noticed that a screen that was covered in florescent material became illuminated by the rays created from the glass tube. He used an image of his own hand on a photographic plate, instead of a screen, where the image was displayed translucently, creating an internal image of the structure of his hand.

This discovery proved that the internal parts of our body can be seen without needing invasive and risky surgery to do so. The invention of the X-ray helped revolutionize modern medicine, evolving into what we use today, called the digital X-ray.

It was eventually recognized that frequent exposure to X-rays could be harmful, but today special measures are taken to protect the patient and doctor, and prevent complications. Ultrasound technology is a great diagnostic tool for seeing live images of the working structures of the body, especially the structures of joints within the body.

Ultrasound imaging sonography uses high frequency sound waves, to create a live video feed image of the inside of the body. Unlike X-ray imaging, there is no radiation exposure associated with ultrasound imaging.

During an ultrasound exam, a probe called a transducer is placed directly on the skin or inside the body. A thin layer of gel is applied to the skin so that the ultrasound waves are transmitted from the transducer through the gel into the body.

The quality of the ultrasound images is produced based on the reflection of the waves off of the body structures. The strength or amplitude of the sound signal and the time it takes for the wave to travel through the body provides the information necessary to produce an image.

These images help the doctor to evaluate something more closely and make an accurate diagnosis. An MRI uses a powerful magnetic field combined with specific radio frequencies to create detailed images of internal body structures with the aid of a sophisticated computing system.