Who Is A Sonographer?

Sonographer

A Sonographer is an allied healthcare professional trained and certified or licensed to use sophisticated medical imaging equipment that transmits high frequency sound wave to create images and videos of internal human body organs and the fetus in pregnant women for visual investigation, measurements and diagnostic purposes.

Medical sonographers use ultrasound technology. A highly trained and skilled Sonographer can use ultrasound as a guide in invasive procedures such as soft tissue biopsy, central and peripheral Venus access, Radial artery cannulation, lumbar puncture landmark identification, nerve blocks, paracentesis and thoracentesis.

A Sonographer may also be known as a Medical Sonographer, Diagnostic Medical Sonographer, ultrasound technologist, ultrasound technician, Ultrasonographer and Registered or Certified as licensed and a credited professional.

Types of Sonographers

Most of the ultrasound scan services in the developing countries of especially Africa are provided by Radiographers, Medical Imaging Technologists and Radiologists. The Sonographers are few and they provide general basic ultrasound scan services including for Obstetrics and Gynecology. This is due to their limited numbers and training facilities.

Sonographers initially train to be generalists in the field. However, after gaining experience on the job, many move on to pursue additional education and certifications to specialize in a specific area.

They may specialize in any part of human anatomy, each with its own unique focus. While some general sonographers train for multiple parts of the body, others develop expertise in a more niche area.

The types of Sonographers and examples of specializations include;

•       Abdominal Sonographers

Abdominal Sonographers focus their expert skills and knowledge in imaging, evaluating, taking anatomical measurements and diagnosing pathologies affecting the liver, gallbladder, bile ducts, pancreas, abdominal blood vessels especially the abdominal aorta and Inferior Vena Cava(IVC), spleen, kidneys, Urinary bladder, bowel loops, peritoneal cavity and abdominal lymph nodes.

These sonographers are the most versatile, working in various areas of the body and they tend to be called General Diagnostic Medical Sonographers

•       Obstetric and Gynecological Sonographers

Obstetrical and gynecological Sonographers are commonly referred to as OB/GYN Sonographers, These are diagnostic medical imaging modality specialists. Obstetrical (OB) Sonographers use ultrasound to visualize and determine the condition of a pregnant woman and her fetus.

These sonographers specialize in imaging the reproductive organs of women, including the uterus, ovaries, and fallopian tubes. They are also experts in fetal development, monitoring pregnancies from conception to birth.

They use ultrasound scan protocol to assess fetal anatomy from the head to lower limbs for anomalies such as skeletal dysplasia, neural tube defects, fetal thoracic and abdominal anomalies. They also assess the placenta, amniotic fluid and pregnancy complications such as ectopics, molar pregnancy, blighted ovum.

This type of Sonographers also perform ultrasound scans for non-pregnant women to monitor their menstrual cycle and fertility including conditions that affect their reproductive organs such as fibroids and cystic ovarian masses.

•       Pediatric Sonographer

Pediatric sonographers are so important to children’s health and wellness, they are highly trained and technically savvy to provide scan services for babies. Pediatric sonographers specialize in imaging children. They must be detail oriented, patient and excellent communicators to work with young patients.

Their scope of service is not solely limited to fetal medicine or prenatal care. Pediatric sonographers also perform ultrasound on young children to identify the source of pain in the abdominal, pelvic, or scrotal areas and record the images that play a vital role in effective pediatric healthcare.

Pediatric Sonographers can horn their skills and super specialize in a particularly well-known area such as fetal echocardiography and Pediatric Neurosonography among others. Some organized Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) employ these Sonographers to perform neonatal brain ultrasound and screening scans for preterm infants

•       Musculoskeletal Sonographer

Musculoskeletal Sonographers scan muscles, tendons, ligaments and joints in the human body to diagnose sprains, strains, arthritis tears, and other soft tissue conditions such as abscess using Ultrasound because it is safe, noninvasive, and does not use ionizing radiation like other medical imaging modalities.

•       Breast Sonographer

Breast ultrasound is used by Sonographers to investigate internal structures of the breast and diagnose breast lumps or other abnormalities that may have been found during a physical exam, mammogram or breast MRI.

Breast sonographers specialize in imaging the breast tissue. They are often used to follow up on abnormal mammograms or to guide biopsies.

•       Neurosonographer

A neurosonographer performs ultrasounds on the brain and nervous system of their patients at any age. They are also called neurosonologists or neuroimaging technicians. They utilize specialized beam shapes and frequencies from a Transcranial Doppler (TCD) machine to perform their duties.

They diagnose conditions like strokes, brain tumors, and hydrocephalus.

•       Echocardiographers

Echocardiographers are also called Cardiac Sonographers

Cardiac sonographers focus on imaging the heart and its surrounding structures. They can diagnose heart conditions, monitor heart function, and evaluate the effectiveness of heart treatments.

A type of echo called Doppler ultrasound shows how well blood flows through your heart’s chambers and valves.

Fetal Echocardiographers specialize in imaging the fetal heart. They can diagnose congenital heart defects in unborn babies.

•       Vascular Sonographer

Vascular ultrasound is used image blood vessels including arteries and veins.

Vascular Sonographers are also called Vascular Technologists. The veins in the legs are compressed and the blood flow is assessed using M-mode, Power and Color Doppler to make sure the vein is free of clots. Arteries are also examined for stenosis, peripheral artery disease and aneurysms.

•       Ocular Sonographer

Ocular Sonographers are also known as Certified Diagnostic Ophthalmic Sonographers (CDOS) who have knowledge base in the principles and instrumentation needed to perform eye examinations using ultrasound waves.

These Sonographers work in hospital eye departments with Ophthalmologists to diagnose painless vision loss such as retinal detachment, posterior vitreous detachment, vitreous hemorrhage and central retinal occlusion. They also evaluate the eye for elevated intracranial pressure in intracranial hemorrhage and Pseudotumor cerebri.

In emergency ophthalmic clinics, Ocular Sonographers assess patients eyes for traumatic vision loss due to intraocular foreign bodies, globe rupture, lens dislocation, retrobulbar hemorrhage and periorbital edema

•       Maxillofacial Sonographer

Ultrasonography in dentomaxillofacial diagnostics involves periodontogy, orthodontics and endodontics. It applies basic ultrasound principles to examine cervical lymph nodes, extracranial nerves, floor of the mouth, salivary glands, thyroid gland, temporomandibular joint, facial soft tissues including muscles, paranasal sinuses and midface.

Dentomaxillofacial Sonographers use ultrasound to diagnose soft tissue diseases which are not usually evident on a conventional radiograph and classify intraoral benign and malignant tumors, inflammatory and cystic leisons.

US-Guided Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology (FNAC) is also another advancement in maxillofacial surgery.

Other investigation modalities that dentists greatly dependent on to assess the complex anatomy of the head and neck and diagnose various pathologies that affect this area includes IOPA, PET, CT, MRI and panoramic radiographs.

      Note;

Each type of sonographer requires specialized training and certification. If you're interested in a career in Sonography, it's important to research the different specialties to find the one that best suits your interests and skills.