Medical ultrasound replaces and adds to radiation-based imaging techniques as Roentgen (X-ray).
One surprising example is lung ultrasound.
Frequently, especially in children, a lung X-ray can be avoided to diagnose
- pneumonia
- shortness of breath : asthma or lung edema?
- chronic and acute heart failure
Ultrasound is unrivaled in
- pleuritis
- pneumothorax (lung tear with acute thoracic pain and dyspnea)
- pleural effusion
Joint diseases (arthritis, effusion, pain and swelling) can be diagnosed “on the fly” and precisely quantified in an outpatient setting.
Many bone diseases are diagnosed easily and safely by means of ultrasound.
Skin and under the skin-diseases (redness, bluish colorations, swelling, pain and bumps) can be elucidated with ultrasound – better than with any other imaging technique.
For muscle pain and weakness and hampered movability – ultrasound is the first choice to sort out myositis, tears, tendovaginits, post-cramp ischemia and genetic as well as neurogeneic diseases.
To portrait peripheral nerves, nothing can hold the candle to ultrasound.
Ultrasound is second to none in diagnosing scrotal enlargement or pain (tumor?,inflammation?,epididymitis?,torsion?, hernia?, edema?, varicocele?, hydrocele?)
