Ultrasound operates much the same as sonar, using high-frequency sound waves as its
imaging source. Ultrasound is the reflection of a sound wave as it collides with the
anatomy being studied. The resulting pattern of that reflection is converted into
diagnostic information via a hand-held transducer passed over the area being imaged.
First utilized some 50 years ago, this medical technology's non-radioactive nature has
made it the modality of choice for ob-gyn procedures; in fact, it is most commonly
associated with fetal imaging. Advances in ultrasound technology have resulted in
applications that extend far beyond fetal imaging to include cardiac, vascular and
breast imaging, as well as cyst identification and guidance of a variety of surgical
and other therapeutic procedures.