Why Ultrasound?

In the past blood profiles, x-rays, dye studies, and exploratory surgery were the most common tools used in veterinary medicine to diagnose disease. Ultrasound offers a non-invasive, non-painful method of diagnosis and staging of many diseases. An ultrasound-guided biopsy allows for precise needle placement resulting in a more accurate and earlier diagnosis.

In human and veterinary medicine, ultrasound compliments x-ray evaluations as each diagnostic modality has it's own strengths and weaknesses. X-rays offer excellent evaluation of bone structures and air filled structures (lungs) that ultrasound cannot. In contrast, ultrasound is best at diagnosing abnormalities within organs (liver, spleen, kidney, heart) and evaluations of an organs function such as the heart by direct visualization of the heart while in motion. Once the abnormality is found it can be measured for later comparison.

Ultrasound evaluations commonly performed in veterinary medicine include:

Liver	Pancreas	Eyes
Kidney	Uterus/Ovaries	Heart
Bladder	Testicles	Prostate
Lymph Nodes	Pregnancy	Intestinal Tract

Why Sound Technologies?

River Heights Veterinary Clinic purchased an ultrasound machine and telemedicine system in July of 2000 from Sound Technologies. The ultrasound unit's menus and features are designed with our pets needs in mind for ease of use and a superior image quality. This machine has a fully integrated telemedicine system that allows River Heights Veterinary Clinic to archive images and exams, backup images on a zip drive, produce informative reports, scan documents or digital pictures into a patients file, and transmit any or all of this information to board certified specialists for consultation. Finally, Sound Technologies is committed to education and advanced training programs.

Patient Preparation and Scan

The typical ultrasound examination requires no sedation and is easily performed on awake animals. Restricting food for 12 hours prior to the examination will reduce bowel air and improves organ visualization. Your pet's hair overlying the area to be scanned will be clipped. A coupling gel will be placed on the skin surface just prior to the exam process. A typical scan will take 30-60 minutes. A personalized report with images will be generated with the results of our findings.

When performing an ultrasound guided needle biopsy a short acting anesthetic is used and clotting profile is done prior to this procedure.

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