Ultrasound Markham provides diagnostic imaging services including x-rays, mammograms and bone mineral density tests. Our team is fully trained to provide you with the highest quality care. We have locations in Toronto and Scarborough and are open 7 days a week.
Ultrasonic Scanning (also called ultrasound, sonography or echography) is a safe, painless procedure that uses high-frequency sound waves to produce pictures of the inside of the body. These images are not affected by radiation and can be used to diagnose problems with internal organs or blood vessels.
The process is simple and involves the placement of a small, flexible probe onto your skin and gel that absorbs sound. The sound waves then travel through the body, and a computer captures the waves as they bounce back to the probe. The computer then creates a picture of the inside of your body.
Many medical specialists use Ultrasound Markham for a wide range of diagnostic purposes, including pregnancy, childbirth and breast health. The technique also helps with diagnosing conditions of the heart and lungs, kidneys and bladder and vascular problems.
A number of general practitioners have bought their own ultrasound machines and are using them in surgeries, a trend that is likely to continue. The Royal College of General Practitioners is looking at ways to improve access to diagnostic procedures including ultrasound for those who are a long distance from a radiology department. It is hoped that by providing training courses, and developing guidelines with radiologists, this can be achieved.
One of the ways this can be achieved is through integrating ultrasound training into the curriculum for medical students. This is already being done at the University of South Carolina in the US, where first and second year medical students get hands on training in laboratory sessions, and use web based learning modules to understand the basics of ultrasound.
This is a great way to give new ultrasound users a head start in the field, and will ensure that more patients can benefit from this technology as it becomes more widespread. In addition, ultrasound can be used to assess patients’ conditions before they are sent for surgery.
In the future, more general practitioners may be encouraged to do their own ultrasound examinations of patients with complaints. This could help cut down on waiting times for appointments, as well as help reduce the risk of anxiety and stress for patients.
Some general practitioners are already using ultrasound as part of their day to day work and this will increase over the next five to ten years. However, Professor Stephen Field, chairman of the Royal College of General Practitioners, says that the uptake is slow, and he believes there is much more to do.
He adds that ultrasound can be a useful tool for the diagnosis of many diseases, particularly when it is combined with other imaging modalities such as X-rays. It can even be used to identify tumours.
In the past 10 years, ultrasound machines have become cheaper, smaller and more portable–the latest models are even pocket sized. In fact, some medical schools are now teaching this as an essential skill for all of their students to have in order to be able to use them.