Ultrasonography (US)

The University of Florida Veterinary Hospitals often use ultrasonography, a non-invasive diagnostic tool used to assess disease processes within the patient.

How It Works

Sound waves emitted from a transducer travel through organs and tissues and are reflected or absorbed, producing a signal called an echo. These echoes are detected and analyzed by a computer in the ultrasound machine and produce an image of the organ in real-time. Through additional techniques, blood flow through vessels, organs, and diseased tissues can be evaluated. Ultrasound also provides targeted sampling of small amounts of body cavity fluid, and is used to instruct fine-needle aspirates and biopsies of abnormal organs and tissues.

Radiography and ultrasound are complementary imaging modalities. While radiography provides limited information about the internal architecture of abdominal organs, it provides invaluable information about the entire abdominal cavity, including bones and areas such as the pelvic canal that cannot be adequately evaluated with ultrasound. It is important that these imaging modalities are used in conjunction with one another to provide the best possible diagnostic accuracy and patient care.

Return to UF Veterinary Diagnostic Imaging.

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