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My Child Has:
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Ultrasonography
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Ultrasound is an imaging technology that uses high frequency sound waves to view internal organs and produce diagnostic pictures of the human body. No radiation is used. The Ultrasound Division at Children's Hospital Boston is specially designed, equipped and staffed to obtain high quality ultrasound examinations of pediatric patients of any size, age and medical condition, including tiny newborns, small infants, toddlers, young children and maturing adolescents.
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An abdominal ultrasound is an ultrasound of the internal organs, including the liver, gall bladder, spleen, pancreas, kidneys, and urinary bladder. Blood flow to some of these organs also can be checked.
There are many indications for performing abdominal ultrasound including looking for a cause of belly pain, for stones in the gall bladder or kidney, or for a cause for enlargement of an abdominal organ. Pyloric stenosis, one cause of vomiting in babies, can be diagnosed with ultrasound. Appendicitis also can sometimes be diagnosed with ultrasound.
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It depends on what is being looked for and how old the patient is. Usually, the patient should have nothing by mouth (NPO) for a few hours before the examination. This varies with the patient's age. Often, the referring physician will know how long the patient should be NPO. If not, call 617-355-7840 and ask to speak to a technologist or radiologist.
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The patient will lie on her or his back on an examining table. The technologist or doctor will place some warm gel (a lotion) on the patient's belly and then look at the abdominal organs with a transducer (similar to a microphone). This will require looking at all parts of the abdomen. It usually takes less than 30 minutes.
The radiologist will generally see pictures of the liver, spleen, gall bladder, kidneys, pancreas, and urinary bladder. If indicated, blood flow to one or more organs can be looked at and pictures taken of this.
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Either from the radiologist or your physician. If you have further questions, ask the radiologist interpreting the examination, or call the Ultrasound Division at 617-355-7840 to speak with the secretary, a technologist, or a physician.
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A cranial ultrasound is an ultrasound of the brain. It looks at the brain tissues and ventricles. It is usually performed on infants who still have a soft spot (called the anterior fontanelle) in their skull.
Indications for cranial ultrasound include: enlarging head circumference in a baby; screening for bleeding in the brain, especially in premature babies; looking for signs of infection; and screening for congenital abnormalities.
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The baby will lie on his or her back on an examining table. The technologist or doctor will put a small amount of gel (a lotion) on a transducer (similar to a microphone) and place the microphone on the soft spot of the baby's head. The technologist or doctor will take several pictures. You may be asked to help hold your child during the test which usually takes 15 to 30 minutes.
This test looks at the structure of the brain and the size of the ventricles. This test can also look at some aspects of blood flow to the brain with a type of ultrasound called Doppler
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Either from the radiologist or your physician. If you have further questions, ask the radiologist interpreting the examination, or call the Ultrasound Division at 617-355-7840 to speak with the secretary, a technologist, or a physician.
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Hip ultrasound is used to take pictures of the hips of babies to look for a dislocated or underdeveloped hip. It can be performed in babies from the newborn period to about 6 - 8 months of age.
A hip ultrasound may be needed if there is an abnormality found through physical examination of a baby's hip, a family history of hip dysplasia, breech presentation and for other reasons.
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The baby will lie on an examining table on his or her back. The technologist or doctor will place some warm gel (a lotion) on a transducer (similar to a microphone) and place it on the baby's hip and take some pictures. Both hips will be examined. The test usually takes 30 minutes or less to perform.
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Either from the radiologist or your physician. If you have further questions, ask the radiologist interpreting the examination, or call the Ultrasound Division at 617-355-7840 to speak with the secretary, a technologist, or a physician
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A kidney ultrasound takes pictures of both kidneys and the urinary bladder. It does not test the function of the kidneys.
Indications for a kidney ultrasound include: prenatally detected abnormalities (such as hydronephrosis), urinary tract infection, blood in the urine, high blood pressure, back or abdominal pain, known or suspected kidney stones, or a family history of kidney disease. There are also some syndromes and conditions associated with kidney abnormalities for which ultrasound is performed
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There is generally no preparation. If the ultrasound is being done because of blood found in the urine, a full bladder is necessary. This will require drinking several glasses of water before the examination
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The patient will lie on an examining table. The technologist or doctor will put warm gel (a lotion) on the patient's lower belly and use a transducer (similar to a microphone) to look at the bladder. The technologist also will look at the upper belly and back in this way to get pictures of the kidneys. Ultrasound does not test the function of the kidneys, but it can evaluate certain aspects of blood flow.The examination usually takes 30 minutes or less.
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Either from the radiologist or your physician. If you have further questions, ask the radiologist interpreting the examination, or call the Ultrasound Division at 617-355-7840 to speak with the secretary, a technologist, or a physician
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A pelvic ultrasound is used to take pictures of the pelvic organs, and is usually done to look at the uterus and ovaries in a girl. It may also be used to look at the bladder. Pelvic ultrasound can also be done in boys. Indications for pelvic ultrasound include looking for a cause of pelvic pain or searching for a possible mass.
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A full bladder is generally needed for this examination, which requires that the patient drink several glasses of water before arriving.
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The patient will lie on her or his back on an examining table. A technologist or doctor will place warm gel (a lotion) on the lower belly and then take pictures with a transducer (similar to a microphone). After the pictures are developed the patient may go to the bathroom and empty his or her bladder
The radiologist will see the bladder, uterus and ovaries in girls, and the bladder and possibly prostate in boys.
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Either from the radiologist or your physician. If you have further questions, ask the radiologist interpreting the examination, or call the Ultrasound Division at 617-355-7840 to speak with the secretary, a technologist, or a physician
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A spine ultrasound is used to take pictures of the spinal cord in a baby who is usually 3 or 4 months old or less. A baby is usually referred for a spinal ultrasound because of a dimple, hair patch, or discoloration of the skin above the anus. The study is done to look for an abnormality of the spinal cord.
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The baby will lie on his or her stomach on an examining table. Sometimes a towel will be placed underneath the baby's chest to elevate it. The technologist or doctor will place warm gel (a lotion) on a transducer (similar to a microphone), and place this on the baby's back to take pictures. The test takes about 15 to 30 minutes. The radiologist will see if the spinal cord looks normal and if it is in the normal position.
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Either from the radiologist or your physician. If you have further questions, ask the radiologist interpreting the examination, or call the Ultrasound Division at 617-355-7840 to speak with the secretary, a technologist, or a physician
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