Ultrasound can be performed for any part of body from head to toe, and thus different names have been given to them.
1. US Cranium- This cannot be done in adults because of their hard skull. However, newborn or infants have some soft opening (fontanelle), through which we can see brain of neonate. If your pediatrician observes baby's head is too large, or baby did not cry at birth or some problem was detected in antenatal pregnancy scan, this particular ultrasound is advised. As doing a CT or MRI scan of brain is little difficult for small babies, this is an easy and pretty accurate test to perform.
2. US Neck/Thyroid - If you feel some lump in neck, or if you have thyroid issue, or some unexplained pain in cheek or below jaw, you may go for neck scan in consultation with your doctor.
3. US Doppler carotid- If you are experiencing giddiness or imbalance (vertigo), this particular scan can tell about the blood flow to the brain. Also, people who have weakness or paralysis, need this particular scan to check if any blood vessel to brain is blocked.
4. US Chest/Thorax - One of the common cause of chest pain and cough, is filling up of water around lungs (pleural effusion). While a simple X-Ray can tell about it, exact amount and how it can be taken care of, is better assessed by ultrasound. Also, for any visible or palpable lump, ultrasound is recommended.
5. US Breast (Sonomammogram)- For young females (<35-40 yrs age), who has breast lump, nipple discharge or unexplained pain, ultrasound is safe and accurate test to detect the problem. Also, in older age group females, it is supplemented with mammogram if necessary. Ultrasound can also help in difficult or failed biopsies.
6. US Shoulder - If you are experiencing shoulder pain with restricted movement (like pain during lifting overhead), or if you have recent injury, this scan is helpful to check if rotator cuff (muscles and tendons around shoulder) are torn. Also, sometimes water gets accumulated around joint, causing pain and swelling, which can be diagnosed with the scan, and if necessary, water can be taken out (aspirated).
7. US Doppler upper limb - For pain or swelling in arm, forearm or wrist, we may need to check the blood flow to the arm, with help of this test.
8. US Abdomen - This is the most commonly needed and advised test, which can tell about all organs inside abdomen. Abdominal pain of any nature, feeling lump in abdomen, urinary complaints, jaundice, fever of unknown cause, indigestion, swollen abdomen (abdominal distension).....and list goes on.... This test should also be done in healthy individuals as a part of regular health check-up. Routinely, we pick up many early tumours in this scan, where people did not experience any problem at all, and came for general check.
9. US Pelvis - Many females experience irregular periods, pain in lower abdomen (during menses or otherwise), urine infection, vaginal discharge, feeling lump or infertility. A pelvic scan is a MUST, and symptoms should not be ignored. US Pelvis can be done by two methods, either from top of abdomen (transabdominal) or through vaginal route (transvaginal). Needless to say, vaginal route is always better and accurate, although per abdomen route may seem comfortable. Pelvic scan is also helpful to check the intrauterine devices (like Copper-T), especially when thread seems missing.
10. Renal doppler scan - Any hypertensive (people with high blood pressure) should go for this scan atleast once. One of the cause of hypertension is abnormal blood supply to kidneys, and this, if detected, changes the course of treatment. This test SHOULD be done in all hypertensives.
