What are the medical applications of ultrasound?

There are several different specialties in the realm of diagnostic medical sonography, a.k.a. medical ultrasound.

• Abdominal ultrasound - views the organs of the abdomen
• Vascular ultrasound - views blood vessels
• Obstetric ultrasound - views the fetus in the womb
• Gynecological ultrasound - views the female reproductive organs
• Neurosonography - views the brain, including the fetal brain and transcranial ultrasound
• Echocardiography - views the heart, including both the fetal and adult heart

There is also a field of therapeutic ultrasound, where low-frequency ultrasound is used to heal deep tissues of the body. This is sometimes used in rehabilitation processes.

Another form of medical sonography is HIFU, or high intensity focused ultrasound, which is a much newer field of ultrasound. In this specialty, especially high frequency ultrasound is used against cancer cells. This is still being tested and utilized with positive results against prostate cancer, where the probe can be placed in close proximity to the cancer cells.
Ultrasound can be used to examine body organs and systems including the heart, pancreas, urinary system, brain, spinal cord, bladder, and cysts. In females, it can be used to view the ovaries, peritoneal cavity, and a fetus in its amniotic sac. It can also be used to guide surgical procedures, for example during the insertion of a biopsy needle into a particular area. Doppler ultrasound is used to measure blood flow. Air, bone, and other calcified tissues absorb nearly all the ultrasound beam, so it cannot be used to examine the bones or lungs.