Vascular Ultrasound Technology and Diagnosing Vein Disease - Research Paper Example

Introduction Ideologies concerning health dimensions are majorly modified by the application of various types of technology. The application of various types of technologies is crucial to the provision of proper public health, health care as well as health data that the society access in its day to day life. Technological processes directly or indirectly influence the ways in which different types of health professionals and the public respond to their health issues and the decision making (www.healthypeople.gov). Specifically, the application of various technological processes has become imperative owing to the current rapid technological innovations experienced in the medical field. Tremendous changes have occurred in the information technology which has facilitated communication in the provision of health services; other technologies have also been applied in diagnosis of diseases and various severe health conditions (www.modernhealthcare.com). The Use of Vascular Ultrasound Technology This technological facet is currently known as ultrasound imaging; in some cases it is referred as ultrasound sonography or even scanning. It encompasses the application of a small probe (Transducer) together with an ultrasound gel that enables the health practitioners to expose the body to sound waves conditions characterized by high frequency. Scientists have proved that this technology is safe to human beings and does not involve exposure to painful conditions; it enables the practitioners to have access to pictures of the inside organs and systems of the human body through the sound waves. Specifically, this technology is quite distinct from the x-rays as it does not involve the use of ionizing radiations; it assists the health service providers to view pictures of processes like; blood flow, vessels and the motion of the internal organs (www.radiologyinfo.org). Consequently, other characteristics of the ultrasound technology involve; the aspect of being noninvasive in that it does not involve long procedures of extracting samples of specimen like blood or even excretory products in order to conduct the test. It also involves the use of a Doppler ultrasound technology that majorly assist in the examination of blood movement in various body organs, vessels and other parts of the body like the arms, abdomen and legs. The Doppler ultrasound technology has been applied immensely in different areas of health service provision.Studies have also shown that it is currently replacing the use of x-ray as a method to examine conditions of the internal organs. It enables the effective examination of vital blood vessels (Veins and arteries) as well as the blood flow and has currently replaced the use of angiography. It has proved to be a success in the examination of other conditions like the fetal health and position through the provision of real time pictures and sounds (www.radiologyinfo.org). There are three types of the Doppler ultrasound technology that majorly used in the health sector, they include: The Color Doppler, which applies, the use of computers to alter the Doppler dimensions in to array of colors. The color perceived is incorporated with standardized pictures of the ultrasound technology that depicts blood vessels to exhibit the direction and the speed of blood motion within the vessels (www.radiologyinfo.org). The spectral Doppler, on the other hand, assists health practitioners to view measurements of blood flow in a graphical dimension through depicting the covered at a given time. It is quite different from the power Doppler which is the most current Doppler technique highly sensitive in the examination of the blood motion. It has the capacity to provided images of organs whose access are more complicated and provide more detail of the motion of the blood located within these organs. However, the power Doppler has one main weakness in that it does not depict the direction of blood movement as compared to the color and the spectral Doppler (www.radiologyinfo.org). The other category of the ultrasound technology is the sonography; it facilitates the examination of the circulatory system through: Monitoring the movement of blood in various body organs and vessels. It also aids in identification of blockages along the veins and abnormal facets like emboli and assists in the provision of effective remedies; identification of blood clot also known as Deep Venous Thrombosis that may exits in the veins of the legs or arms. Additionally, the use of the Sonography ultrasound technology assists health service providers to evaluate whether a patient is in a good condition for various health procedures such as angioplasty. Moreover, it enables the specialists to identify the existence of various vein diseases such as varicose veins together with the examination of abnormal arteries (www.radiologyinfo.org). In the diagnosis of various vein diseases in children, ultrasound vascular technology specifically assists in the insertion of a catheter or even needles into the veins and in some cases arteries to avoid challenges that may arise like excessive bleeding. The procedure also enables the efficient evaluation of the connections that may exist between veins and arteries; this information occurs inform of congenital vascular malformations. Studies have indicated that application of a line in the veins of the arms or the legs of an infant creates higher chances of developing clots as a result of reduced size of the vessel. The studies have also indicated that clots formed in the veins of arms may have extended effects that may be experienced on the veins of the legs and the abdomen; sonography has also proved imperative in the identification of such conditions (www.radiologyinfo.org). How to prepare patients for ultrasound vascular procedures Patients should wear loose and comfortable clothing during ultra sound vascular examinations; materials such as jewelries may not be required on the areas meant for study. Other practitioners may recommend the use of loose gowns that are more comfortable; examination of abdominal vessels may require a patient to miss his/her meals twenty four hours prior to the procedure (www.radiologyinfo.org). The use of ultrasound vascular procedures is extremely sensitive to minor movements therefore the process may be highly affected by movements or even children crying. As a result of the sensitivity of the ultrasound vascular technology, it is imperative to explicit the conditions of the procedure to children and other patients in order to promote efficiency. In various health facilities, entertainment equipment like televisions make patients relax while under the children’s unit, books may be read to the patients to reduce instances of distraction. Characteristics of the Ultrasound Vascular Technology The equipment used as ultrasound scanners contain a console that has a computer, a video, as well as, an electronic fitted with the transducer.The transducer majorly performs the function of scanning and it is a characteristically small gadget that can be easily held by the practitioners.It also has the resemblance of a microphone connected to the scanner by use of a cord. Figure 1: A picture of a modern Ultrasound Vascular Scanner Modus Operandi of the Transducer The transducer performs the main function of the ultrasound vascular technology by; emitting inaudible sound waves at a higher frequency into the body. This is followed by the reception of the echo emitted by the tissues of the body. This mode of operation is relatively similar to the modes of operation of the sonar utilized in boats. The resultants ultrasound image appears on the video screen that resembles a computer monitor (www.radiologyinfo.org). The quality of the image produced on the display screen entirely relies on the frequency, the amplitude together with the time consumed to move the signals from the patient’s body to the transducer. This quality also depends on the structure of the vessel or the tissue with which the examination is conducted; this affects the time at which the signals take to produce the image at the video screen. Figure 2: Picture of an image produced on the Video Screen How to conduct an Ultrasound Vascular Procedure on Patients In most ultrasound technologies, patients lie while facing up on the examination area; mostly the radiologists use tiltable beds. A transparent water-based gel, is spread on the specific body part meant to be examined. This gel enables the transducer to make an effective contact to the body part and reduce air pockets that may exist between the transducer and the skin which; in most cases may block the effective, sound waves that move into the body (www.radiologyinfo.org). The procedure is performed by a Sonographer or a radiologist who holds the transducer firmly on the surface of the skin and constantly moves it from one point of the body to another; in order to, identify specific areas of concern. The same methodology is also applied in the use of the Doppler Technology, a process which takes approximately thirty to forty five minutes (www.radiologyinfo.org).1 Challenges experienced in the use of Ultrasound Vascular Technology Despite the fact that this technology has tremendous advantages, a variety of limitations occurs for instance: The complexity of viewing blood vessels that may be particularly deep inside the body; this may require the use of other technologies such as MRI or even CT. It my also not provide a clear distinction between blood vessels that are severely obstructed and those that have minor obstruction. This technology may also exhibit difficulty in providing clear images of minor vessels than larger vessels hence providing inefficient results (www.radiologyinfo.org). Work Cited Healthy People 2020 - Improving the Health of Americans. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2012. . "Mobile RadiologyInfo.org." Mobile RadiologyInfo.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2012. . 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