Ultrasound Specialties

Three-dimensional (3D) and four-dimensional (4D) ultrasound acquire volumetric data sets that can be rendered into surface, transparent, and tomographic reconstructions of anatomic…

Ultrasound imaging of abdominal organs including the liver, gallbladder, pancreas, spleen, kidneys, and aorta.

Abdominal wall and hernia ultrasound provides dynamic, real-time imaging of the abdominal wall layers and inguinal region to detect hernias, evaluate hernia…

Adnexal and ovarian ultrasound provides detailed evaluation of the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and adnexal structures using transabdominal and transvaginal techniques. It is…

Adrenal gland ultrasound is a specialized sonographic examination of the adrenal glands, which sit atop each kidney and produce hormones including cortisol,…

Aortic sonography uses B-mode and Doppler ultrasound to evaluate the thoracic and abdominal aorta for aneurysmal disease, dissection, and atherosclerosis. Abdominal aortic…

Appendix ultrasound is a targeted sonographic examination used primarily to evaluate for acute appendicitis, the most common abdominal surgical emergency. Using graded…

Arteriovenous (AV) fistula and graft surveillance uses duplex ultrasound to monitor hemodialysis access patency, detect early dysfunction, and identify lesions amenable to…

Ultrasound evaluation of breast tissue for lesion characterization, biopsy guidance, and supplemental screening.

Cardiac sonography is ultrasound imaging of the heart. Learn what cardiac sonographers do, credentials required, and work settings.

Adult cardiac sonography (echocardiography) is a specialized ultrasound discipline focused on imaging the adult heart to assess structure, function, and hemodynamics. It…

Ultrasound imaging of the heart (echocardiography) evaluating structure and function to diagnose cardiac conditions.

Carotid and cerebrovascular sonography uses duplex ultrasound to evaluate the extracranial carotid and vertebral arteries for atherosclerotic plaque, stenosis, and occlusion. It…

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) uses intravenous ultrasound contrast agents — microbubble suspensions — to improve lesion characterization and vascular assessment beyond what conventional…

Endocrine ultrasound encompasses high-resolution sonographic evaluation of the body’s hormone-producing glands, primarily the thyroid, parathyroid, and adrenal glands. It is used for…

The FAST exam (Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma) is a rapid, standardized point-of-care ultrasound protocol used in trauma resuscitation to detect…

Fertility and infertility sonography provides specialized ultrasound support for patients undergoing evaluation and treatment for reproductive disorders. Sonographers in this field work…

Fetal cardiac sonography (fetal echocardiography) is a dedicated, extended ultrasound examination of the fetal heart performed between 18 and 28 weeks gestation…

Gastrointestinal and bowel ultrasound is a sonographic technique for evaluating the stomach, small intestine, and large intestine (colon). Using high-frequency transducers and…

General abdominal sonography encompasses comprehensive ultrasound evaluation of the solid and hollow viscera of the abdomen, including the liver, gallbladder, bile ducts,…

Gynecologic sonography uses transabdominal and transvaginal ultrasound to evaluate the uterus, ovaries, fallopian tubes, and surrounding pelvic structures. It is one of…

Hepatic elastography measures liver stiffness as a non-invasive surrogate for hepatic fibrosis, reducing the need for liver biopsy in patients with chronic…

Hepatobiliary sonography provides detailed ultrasound imaging of the liver parenchyma, biliary tree, and gallbladder to evaluate a wide range of hepatic and…

Pediatric hip sonography is the gold standard screening and diagnostic tool for developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) in infants. It uses…

Inferior vena cava (IVC) ultrasound is a focused sonographic assessment of the largest vein in the body, which returns deoxygenated blood from…

Interventional ultrasound uses real-time sonographic guidance to direct needles, catheters, and other instruments to precise anatomic targets. This application has transformed many…

Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) places a miniaturized ultrasound transducer on a catheter tip inside a coronary or peripheral artery to image the vessel…

Lung ultrasound (LUS) is a point-of-care ultrasound technique that assesses the pleural interface and lung parenchyma for pneumothorax, pulmonary edema, pneumonia, and…

Lymph node ultrasound uses high-frequency imaging to assess cervical, axillary, inguinal, and other superficial lymph node groups for features suggesting reactive enlargement…

Mesenteric vascular sonography evaluates the celiac artery, superior mesenteric artery (SMA), and inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) using Doppler ultrasound to detect stenosis…

Musculoskeletal sonography focuses on ultrasound imaging of tendons, ligaments, muscles, joints, and soft tissue for injury and disease evaluation.

Neonatal head sonography uses the open anterior fontanelle as an acoustic window to image the developing neonatal brain. It is the screening…

Peripheral nerve ultrasound uses high-resolution sonography to image the morphology of peripheral nerves, detecting nerve entrapment, traumatic injury, tumors, and inflammatory neuropathy.…

Ultrasound evaluation of the nervous system including transcranial Doppler, neonatal cranial ultrasound, and spine imaging.

Ultrasound imaging of the female reproductive system and developing fetus, the most common application in prenatal care.

Nuchal translucency (NT) screening is a specialized first-trimester ultrasound performed between 11 and 14 weeks gestation to measure the fluid-filled space at…

First trimester obstetric sonography encompasses examinations from conception through 13 weeks 6 days, covering pregnancy confirmation, dating, viability assessment, early anatomy screening,…

Second and third trimester obstetric sonography encompasses the anatomy survey (typically performed at 18–22 weeks) and subsequent assessments of fetal growth, amniotic…

Ophthalmologic (ocular) sonography uses specialized high-frequency ultrasound to image the globe, vitreous, retina, choroid, and orbit. It is indispensable when optical clarity…

Pancreatic ultrasound evaluates the pancreatic head, body, and tail for pathology including acute and chronic pancreatitis, pancreatic ductal dilation, cystic lesions, and…

Pediatric and neonatal sonography encompasses all ultrasound examinations performed in patients from birth through adolescence. It requires adapting standard ultrasound techniques to…

Pediatric cardiac sonography (pediatric echocardiography) applies comprehensive echocardiographic assessment to infants, children, and adolescents with known or suspected congenital or acquired heart…

Ultrasound imaging in infants and children, covering abdominal, cardiac, cranial, and musculoskeletal applications.

Pelvic floor ultrasound uses translabial (perineal) and endovaginal imaging to evaluate the muscles, ligaments, and connective tissue of the pelvic floor. It…

Penile ultrasound uses grayscale imaging combined with color and spectral Doppler to evaluate penile vasculature, cavernous tissue, and structural anatomy. Its primary…

Peripheral arterial sonography uses color and spectral Doppler to evaluate the arterial supply to the lower and upper extremities, diagnosing atherosclerotic occlusive…

Point-of-care cardiac ultrasound (cardiac POCUS) delivers focused, goal-directed echocardiographic assessment at the bedside to answer specific clinical questions rapidly in acute care…

Bedside ultrasound performed by treating clinicians for rapid decision-making in emergency, critical care, and procedural settings.

Transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) of the prostate provides high-resolution imaging of prostate gland anatomy, volume, and pathology. It is primarily used to guide…

Renal and urologic sonography provides comprehensive ultrasound imaging of the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra to evaluate the entire urinary tract. It…

Renal artery sonography applies color and spectral Doppler interrogation to the renal arteries and intrarenal vasculature to detect renovascular hypertension, assess renal…

Retroperitoneal ultrasound evaluates the anatomical space behind the peritoneum, encompassing the aorta, inferior vena cava (IVC), kidneys, adrenal glands, pancreas, portions of…

Salivary gland ultrasound uses high-frequency linear transducers to image the parotid, submandibular, and sublingual glands for obstructive, inflammatory, and neoplastic conditions. It…

Scrotal and testicular sonography uses high-frequency ultrasound to evaluate the testes, epididymis, and scrotal sac for a wide range of urologic and…

Soft tissue ultrasound evaluates the skin, subcutaneous fat, and superficial musculature for infections, foreign bodies, masses, and post-procedural complications. It is particularly…

Splenic ultrasound evaluates spleen size, echogenicity, and focal lesions in the context of hematologic disease, abdominal trauma, and portal hypertension. While often…

Stress echocardiography combines standard echocardiographic imaging with exercise or pharmacologic stress to detect inducible wall motion abnormalities that indicate obstructive coronary artery…

Thoracic ultrasound assesses the chest wall, pleural space, diaphragm, and accessible lung parenchyma for a range of cardiopulmonary conditions. While X-ray and…

Thyroid and neck sonography provides high-resolution imaging of the thyroid gland, parathyroid glands, and cervical lymph nodes. It is the first-line imaging…

Transcranial Doppler (TCD) sonography uses pulsed Doppler ultrasound transmitted through natural acoustic windows in the skull to assess blood flow velocities in…

Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) places a miniaturized ultrasound transducer on the tip of a gastroscope-like probe that is passed into the esophagus, providing…

Vascular access sonography applies real-time ultrasound guidance to the placement of intravenous access devices, reducing complications and improving first-attempt success rates for…

Ultrasound evaluation of arteries and veins to diagnose DVT, PAD, carotid stenosis, and other vascular conditions.

Venous duplex sonography combines B-mode imaging with color and spectral Doppler to evaluate the venous system of the lower and upper extremities,…