Sound Medicine: Understanding Ultrasound & it’s Benefits

Prostate Cancer
Cancer of the prostate is the most common cancer among American men, affecting about one in five men during the course of a lifetime-and the most common cause of death from cancer in men over age 75. Recently, more attention has been given to this disease, which involves the prostate gland, a walnut-sized reproductive gland located near the back of the penis. Some well-known figures who have battled and survived prostate cancer are former senator Bob Dole and NFL great Rosie Greer. Prostate cancer is most common among African-American men over 60 years old and a health risk that all men should take seriously.

Each year in September, urology clinics across the United States observe Prostate Cancer Awareness Week when free or discounted diagnostic exams are offered to encourage men’s continued vigilance about their prostate health.

As with other cancers for which a cause is unknown, early detection is the most valuable weapon in this battle. If a problem in the prostate is suspected, ultrasound can allow a physician or radiologist to accurately acquire a tissue sample or biopsy from areas of the prostate. The exam is conducted through the use of a small probe and may be carried out in conjunction with other exams, including the important prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test; most men with prostate cancer show elevated levels of prostate-specific antigen, a protein that is produced by the prostate gland.

Family Health
A hospital can be a scary place for a child. Because diagnostic information from an ultrasound exam is gathered instantly while the exam is taking place, a doctor and a concerned parent can learn immediately what may be wrong with the child without scaring him or her or involving any painful procedures.

With children, doctors commonly use ultrasound to detect a variety of illnesses and disorders. Small, lightweight transducers allow them to examine the child easily and painlessly. For example, a physician may use ultrasound to examine a child’s gastrointestinal tract for signs of appendicitis or a baby’s bone structure for alignment problems like congenital hip dislocation or spina bifida. An ultrasound exam of the head can detect hydrocephaly (water on the brain), intracranial hemorrahage (bleeding in the skull) and other conditions of the head.

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