Sonographic scanning of small parts is a useful way of evaluating many of the superficial organs of the body such as the thyroid gland in the neck, the salivary glands at the cheeks and the testes, which are also glands in male patients. Scanning can help to assess these organs and look for signs of disease. Because ultrasound provides real-time images, it can also be used to guide procedures such as needle biopsies, in which needles are used to extract sample cells from an abnormal area for laboratory testing. Ultrasound may also be used to guide the insertion of a catheter or drainage device particularly in the ducts of the salivary glands to ensure accurate placement. Contact us if you have any of the above symptoms or you just want to allay your worries.
Sonography is a useful method for evaluating salivary gland diseases. Not only does it enable confirmation or exclusion of a mass, but in many cases the nature of underlying disease may also be diagnosed on the basis of sonographic findings. Although sonographic appearances of some diseases may overlap, resulting in diagnostic difficulty, sonography is valuable in the diagnosis of acute inflammation, duct stones, Sjögren syndrome , pleomorphic adenomas, Warthin tumors, malignant neoplasms and benign salivary gland cysts. No preparation is required. You will lie on your back on an examination couch and the transducer moved over your upper neck and around the jaw to image the gland of interest.
This is used for diagnosing suspected thyroid disease, for example, a lump in the thyroid or a thyroid that is not functioning properly. Most scans are performed to look at palpable or visible “lumps”, or enlargement of the gland found during a clinical examination. The ultrasound can establish if the nodule is inside the thyroid gland or outside it and whether it is a cyst or a soft tissue nodule. Cysts are almost always non cancerous (benign), although in some cases the fluid may be taken out by a needle under ultrasound guidance for additional testing.
You will need to remove all clothing and jewellery in the area to be examined and you may be asked to wear a gown during the procedure. No other preparation is required. You will lie on your back on an examination couch and the transducer moved back and forth across your neck and upper chest to image the area of interest.
Scrotal sonography is used for the diagnosis of suspected abnormalities of the scrotum. It is the main technique used to evaluate problems of the testes, epididymes and surrounding tissues. It is mostly used when a patient has pain, swelling or feels a lump in the scrotum. Other indications for an ultrasound scan include an absent or undescended testicle, inflammation, testicular torsion (twisted testis), fluid collection, abnormal blood vessels or a mass (lump or tumour).
No special preparation is required. You should wear comfortable, loose fitting clothing for your ultrasound examination. Before the scan, you may need to remove your clothes from the waist down to the upper thigh.
You will be asked to lie on your back on the examination couch. Disposable paper towels will be used to cover the penis and lift the scrotum into position. Gel will be spread on your scrotum and the transducer will be pressed gently against the skin and moved back and forth to obtain the required images. You may be asked to take a breath and hold it for several seconds. The procedure is painless and non-invasive.
