Understanding USG

Sometimes, medical terms can be as complex as rocket science to a layperson. This is because it comprises numerous jargon and acronyms.

In this blog, we will discuss one such acronym, its advantages, and its types. The term is USG. USG's complete form in a medical context is ultrasound sonography. It seems familiar. A study shows that at least one person in their lifetime has gone through the USG test for diagnostic or monitoring purposes. Another commonly used term for USG is an ultrasound scan.

USG Full Form in Medical Context

Let's break down USG abbreviations in different applications.

USG Full Forms in Pregnancy

• USG FWB – USG FWD is the technique that is used to track the overall well-being of the growing fetus in the mother's womb. The term USG FWD refers to ultrasound sonography of fetal well-being.
• USG EDD – USG EDD is the technique that is used to estimate the date of delivery. The estimated date using the method is likely to be more accurate than one based on the last menstrual cycle. The term USG EDD refers to ultrasound sonography estimated date of delivery.

USG for Abdominal and Urinary Health

• USG Abdomen – The USG abdomen is used by many healthcare professionals to diagnose conditions within the organs and structures of the abdomen. The term USG abdomen refers to ultrasound sonography of the abdomen.
• USG KUB – USG KUB is the technique that is used to examine the urinary system of an individual. The full form of the term USG KUB is ultrasound sonography of the kidney, ureter, and bladder.
• USG KUB with PVR – USG KUB with PVR is a technique used to assess the remaining urine in the bladder shortly after the person empties it. This is helpful for healthcare professionals to assess potential issues in the urinary system like structural abnormalities and urinary retention. The term USG KUB with PVR is referred to as ultrasound sonography kidney, ureter, and bladder with post-void residual.

Other Common USG Abbreviations

• TVS USG – Using a specialised probe, the female reproductive system is analysed in this technique. The term TVS USG refers to transvaginal ultrasound sonography.
• USG ANC – During pregnancy, the USG ANC technique is used to track the baby's growth all through the pregnancy. The term USG ANC is referred to as ultrasound sonography antenatal care.
• BPD in USG – During pregnancy, the BPD in USG is used to determine the measurement of the baby's head. This helps the physician to determine the weight of the fetus as well as its gestational age. The term BPD in USG is referred to as biparietal diameter.
• HR USG – This technique provides more detailed images of even subtle abnormalities and small structures of the body. It is widely used to determine soft tissue lesions or musculoskeletal injuries. The term HR USG is referred to as high-resolution ultrasound sonography.

What are the Advantages of USG Techniques?

Ultrasound scans offer numerous advantages. They are widely used due to their safety profile, real-time imaging efficiency, non-invasive necessity and the ability to visualise even soft tissues. Listed below is a detailed look at its advantages.

• No radiation: Instead of utilising ionising radiations like CT scans and X-rays, the ultrasound technique uses high-frequency sound waves. These waves help develop real-time images or videos of the internal organs. This makes them safer for all patients, including children and pregnant women.
• Reduced risk of side effects: Ultrasound scans do not cause any potential side effects to the patients. However, they can cause a moment of discomfort.
• Non-Invasive and Painless: Ultrasound sonography does not require any incisions or needles to perform the test. Hence, they are considered painless with more effective results.
• Minimally invasive procedures: Certain ultrasound-guided procedures can eliminate the need for invasive surgeries. Using this type of technique, the physician may guide the needle into masses or tumours. This helps them to collect the sample tissue for cancer cell diagnosis without the need for any incisions. It is also helpful to guide the needle for aspirations, injections, and other interventions.
• Real-time Imaging: The real-time imaging efficiency of ultrasound sonography enables physicians to visualise internal organs and blood flow in motion. This helps them to identify the abnormalities immediately, especially in gynaecological, vascular, and musculoskeletal structures.
• Soft tissue visualization: Ultrasounds have the ability to visualise even the soft tissues in ligaments, muscles, and tendons. It is not possible to visualize soft tissues using other techniques like X-rays. This makes ultrasound a valuable tool as it can visualise infections, injuries and other conditions within these structures.
• Pregnancy monitoring: Ultrasound scans are the widely preferred technique to track the baby's development throughout the pregnancy. It is helpful to identify the potential issues in the developing baby even before childbirth. It is also beneficial to monitor the maternal health.
• No recovery time needed: Ultrasound scans do not generally require recovery time. The patient can continue with their routine soon after the test.
• Widely available and affordable: Ultrasound scans are widely available throughout several healthcare facilities. It is also less expensive than other imaging methods like CT scans and MRI.

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What are the Common Types of USG?

The common types of USG may include:

Diagnostic Ultrasounds

• Abdominal Ultrasound: An abdominal ultrasound is generally used to examine the potential issues within the abdomen and pelvic region. This may include blood vessels, pancreas, liver, spleen, kidneys, and gallbladder. The technique is also helpful in measuring the size and placement of the abnormalities.
• Breast Ultrasound: A breast ultrasound is used to examine the tissues in the breast. The examination is performed to determine the presence of tumours or lumps. Your healthcare provider may suggest this technique after an abnormal result from the mammogram.

Obstetrics and Gynaecology Ultrasounds

• Fetal Ultrasound: Fetal ultrasounds are commonly used in pregnancy to closely monitor the developing baby's growth.
• Transvaginal Ultrasound: Transvaginal ultrasound is used to analyse the female reproductive system including ovaries, uterus, fallopian tubes and other surrounding structures. The technique is used to determine the reproductive health of the women during fertility treatments or pregnancy complications. It is also used in the first trimester of pregnancy to determine fetal well-being.
• Pelvic Ultrasound: Pelvic ultrasounds are typically used to determine underlying issues in the pelvic region of both men and women. In women, it may include ovaries, uterus, bladder and fallopian tubes. It is a commonly used diagnostic technique to identify fibroids, ovarian cysts, and other pelvic inflammatory diseases (PID). Whereas in men, it is used to diagnose seminal vesicles, bladder, and prostate gland.

Musculoskeletal Ultrasound

Musculoskeletal ultrasound is used by many orthopaedic physicians to analyse the abnormalities or injuries in the soft tissues like joints, ligaments, muscles, and tendons. It is also helpful to determine the presence of inflammation, tears or nerve entrapment in these structures.

Doppler Ultrasound

Doppler ultrasound is used to assess the blood circulation within blood vessels like veins and arteries. The technique is primarily used to assess the function of heart valves, and blood circulation to the brain, detect blood clots in the legs, and track blood supply during pregnancy.

Echocardiogram

An echocardiogram is used by many cardiologists to analyse the function of the heart and its surrounding structures. This may include the size of chambers, valve operation, blood flow, and the thickness of heart walls.

Thyroid Ultrasound

A thyroid ultrasound is used to determine the presence of any abnormalities in the thyroid gland. It is helpful to identify the nodules and evaluate their characteristics, and guide procedures like fine-needle aspiration biopsies.

Renal (Kidney) Ultrasound

A renal (kidney) ultrasound is predominantly used to assess the kidney's size, function, placement and shape. It includes diagnosing the abnormalities within the organ such as tumours, cysts, blockages, and kidney stones, as well as blood circulation.

Gallbladder Ultrasound

Gallbladder ultrasound is used to assess abnormalities in the gallbladder. The abnormalities may include inflammation, gallstones, tumours, polyps, and blockages in the bile ducts.

Ultrasound-Guided Procedures

• Ultrasound-Guided Biopsies: Ultrasound-guided biopsies are used to collect the sample tissue for cancer cell diagnosis without the need for any incisions. Using this type of technique, the physician may guide the needle into masses or tumours to collect the sample tissue. The collected tissue sample was then sent for examination to determine the presence of cancer cells.
• Ultrasound-Guided Needle Placement: Ultrasound-guided needle placement is used to guide the needles for aspirations, injections, and other interventions.

Other Types

• Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS): Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) is used to assess the abdomen and surrounding organs, including the chest. This is the combination of an endoscopy procedure and ultrasound. This is used to visualise and generate detailed images of the gastrointestinal tract and surrounding structures.
• Contrast-enhanced Ultrasound (CEUS): Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) is used to visualize the blood circulation in the internal organs as well as blood vessels with the help of a contrast agent. This contrast agent is widely known as microbubbles, which is injected intravenously to improve its visibility. This allows the physician to have better visualization of the circulatory system than standard ultrasound. The technique is most commonly used to identify renal or liver lesions and determine tissue perfusion.
• Bone sonometry: Bone sonometry is used to analyse the health of bones in the patient. This is achieved by measuring properties such as broadband attenuation (BUA) and the speed of sound (SOS). The technique is generally used to assess the health of peripheral bones, such as the wrist, heel, and finger.
• Ophthalmic ultrasound: The ophthalmologist primarily uses ophthalmic ultrasound. The technique enables the physician to obtain a clearer view of the eye and its surrounding structures. This technique is helpful for physicians to identify conditions obstructed by factors such as retinal detachment, vitreous haemorrhage, and cataracts.

How Does a USG Work?

An ultrasound is generally performed by a sonographer who has specialised training in ultrasound imaging. In some cases, the healthcare provider may also perform an ultrasound if it is a routine procedure in their practice.

Ultrasounds of any type may generally include the following steps:

• The sonographer applies the gel on the surface of the patient's skin. For instance, on the abdomen.
• The transducer produces the sound waves at high frequencies within the body.
• The applied gel ensures that these sound waves are transmitted into the patient's body by eliminating air gaps on the skin. These air gaps may significantly interfere with the imaging quality and accuracy.
• High-frequency sound waves are usually inaudible to the human ear.
• The sound waves travel through the body until they encounter complex substances, such as tissues or bones.
• As they hit the hard substance, the sound waves echo back to the transducer.
• These echoed sound waves signal the ultrasound machine to convert them into real-time pictures or videos.

Some USG methods use a probe, which is inserted into the body to view the internal organs.

• During transvaginal ultrasound exams, a probe is inserted inside the vagina to view the health of the reproductive system of the woman.
• During transrectal ultrasound exams, a probe is inserted into the rectum to view the prostate glands in men.
• During a transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE), a probe is inserted into the oesophagus to view the structures of the heart.

The sound waves in the high-frequency are emitted into the body, which is produced by the probe. The sound waves travel inside the body until they hit hard substances like tissues or bones. As they hit the hard substance, the sound waves echo back to the transducer. These echoed sound waves signal the ultrasound machine to convert them into real-time pictures or videos. This allows the physician to have a better visualisation of the internal organs.

Summary

Even though certain medical terms are hard to understand, they are used for our overall well-being. Understanding the terminology may help to keep you informed and prepare for the procedure.

At A4 Fertility Centre, a team of specialised professionals in ultrasound performs all the ultrasound exams with extreme care. Apart from ultrasound examinations, we are also well-equipped with other diagnostic services like semen analysis and hormonal assessments to help couples determine the underlying cause of infertility.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. How long does the ultrasound examination take to complete?
A typical ultrasound scan may generally take 10 to 30 minutes to complete.

2. Should I be fasting for the ultrasound scan?
The answer to the question is no. Fasting is usually not required for all ultrasound scans, except those that are involved in scanning the abdomen, pancreas, or gallbladder.

3. Will anaesthesia be given when ultrasound-guided procedures are performed?
The answer to the question is yes. Local anaesthesia will be given when ultrasound-guided procedures are performed.

4. Should I need to fill my bladder for all the ultrasound scans?
The answer to the question is no. The full bladder is not essential for all ultrasound scans, except those that are involved in scanning the pelvic region. Other scans generally do not require a full bladder.

5. What is the full form of a TEE echocardiogram?
The term TEE echocardiogram is referred to as transesophageal echocardiogram in the medical context. Unlike standard transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE), the TEE allows the transducer to be inserted into the oesophagus (mouth) rather than placing it on the chest. The technique is helpful for physicians to even have a look at the back structures of the heart more clearly.

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