Ultrasound Scanning

Ultrasound Scanning

Ultrasound imaging works by bouncing sound waves off internal structures — it uses no radiation at all, and its only known downside is mild discomfort from the pressure of the transducer against the abdomen or vagina. In the first trimester specifically, ultrasound is used to date the pregnancy accurately, determine how many foetuses are present, and assess any early pregnancy complications.

Three generations of ultrasound imaging are in use today, each adding more information than the last. 2-D ultrasound, the most common and basic form, produces a flat image of a single aspect of the baby. 3-D ultrasound builds on this by reconstructing width, height and depth together, which can meaningfully aid diagnosis where a flat image would be ambiguous. 4-D ultrasound, the newest technology, adds the fourth dimension of time — le …