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Medicine vocabulary · Diagnosis and Tests

Ultrasound

Meaning in medicine, with examples

/ˈʌltrəsaʊnd/nounCommon term

In medicine, ultrasound means: A scan that uses high-frequency sound waves to make live pictures of organs, blood vessels or a baby in the womb, without using radiation.

In Turkish: ultrason, ultrasonografi, USG

How it is used

Doctors request an ultrasound scan of the abdomen, pelvis or neck; in pregnancy patients just say 'the scan'. Bedside ultrasound (POCUS) is now often done by emergency doctors themselves.

Example sentences

  1. The ultrasound showed several gallstones but no inflammation.

  2. We'll do an ultrasound of your neck to look at the thyroid.

Common collocations

  • abdominal ultrasound
  • ultrasound scan
  • bedside ultrasound
  • ultrasound-guided
  • CT scanA scan that uses X-rays taken from many angles and a computer to build detailed cross-section pictures of the body. CT stands for computed tomography.
  • MRIShort for magnetic resonance imaging: a scan that uses a strong magnet and radio waves to make detailed pictures, especially of the brain, spine, joints and soft tissues.
  • X-rayAn image of the inside of the body made with a type of radiation that passes through soft tissue but is blocked by bone and other dense structures.
  • investigationA test or examination, such as a blood test or a scan, done to find the cause of a patient's problem or to check their condition.
  • biopsyThe removal of a small piece of tissue from the body so that it can be examined under a microscope, often to check for cancer.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Diagnosis and Tests

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.