Most people don’t know the difference between an Ultrasound and a Sonogram. In fact, the vast majority of people consider them to be the same thing. While in some aspects they are similar, they are two different techniques and procedures. Due to the fact that so many people think that they are the same, it is often a confused and misinterpreted term in the medical field, both by medical professionals who lack experience and patients who are going in for testing. Here is a simple understanding of which is which and how they differ.
What is an Ultrasound?
Ultrasound is defined as vibrations that are of the same nature physically as sound vibrations, but are above the frequency which we as humans can hear. An example of an ultrasound is the application of vibrations (as defined above) to the body to project internal views (such as when a woman wants to know the sex of her baby before it is born). A sonogram is the use of ultrasound to produce an image (such as the image of the baby). In the simplest of terms, images created in a sonogram are the product of ultrasound technology. One is the product of the second, and this is the reason that any people get confused with which is which.
Most people think that ultrasound is only used to produce a sonogram of a baby in the womb. There are plenty of other tests that use sonograms and ultrasound technology. The use of ultrasound technology can also be used to give sonogram images of internal organs and the tissues in the body. While sonograms and ultrasound technology is primarily used in gynecology, it has other vital uses in the medical field.
Since sonograms also include images of the tissues and organs of the body, these two technologies are used in cardiology (studies of the heart), vascular medicine (the veins of the body), ophthalmology (studies of the eyes and sight), and even radiology (x-rays). Most of these areas of study of medicine don’t use sonograms and ultrasound technology as invasive procedures, and this relieves stress to the patients and allows for more available testing to be done.
To Sum it Up
Ultrasound is the sound pressure at a higher frequency than we can hear so that sonograms can be produced. Ultrasound is a general term of medical technology, while a sonogram is the more specific application of ultrasound technology (primarily used in the gynecological field). Ultrasounds and sonograms are generally non-invasive procedures and will not cause harm to patients, making testing more accommodating to patients and more reliable for doctors.
For more information on ultrasound technology and sonograms, consult your doctor or other medical professional.