Sonography Research Paper

The role of a sonographer is to produce a high quality sonogram based on the order of the patient's physician to assist in diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment. Primarily, the responsibility that accompanies this role is to that of the patient, their well-being and maximal comfort while in your care. This includes everything from preparing the patient through a verbal explanation on the logistics of the procedure to answering questions to alleviate any anxiety they may have over the examination. Additionally, depending on the client, the patient may need physical assistance to assume the correct position for the exam in a manner that prevents injury to both the patient and the sonographer. Following the scan, the sonographer must analyze

One of the main reasons for choosing a healthcare career in todays society, aside from the basic need for a self sustaining income, is the opportunity to make differences in peoples lives. With the demand for healthcare professionals and alternative medicines on the rise, so is the need for adequately educated trained personnel. Diagnostic Medical Sonography is becoming an increasingly attractive alternative to radiologic procedures such as x-ray and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Accounting for approximately 50,300 jobs in the United States in 2008, compared to the 214,000 jobs held by radiologic technicians, according to

Differentiate between the causes, signs and symptoms, and diagnostic findings in pre- renal, intra-renal, and post-renal failure.

One main reason some continue to doubt the accuracy of sonographers would be due to the fact that each sonographer tends to scan slightly different for kidneys—or in general. Each kidney is partially encased in ribs and surrounded by other abdominal organs, causing sonographers to get creative with scanning techniques. Right kidneys tend to be easier to get to due to the location beneath the liver, which causes a more inferior position; left kidneys are slightly larger and more superior in the abdomen and cause more of an issue (Paiva, 2014). This can cause one sonographer to roll a patient up in a more oblique position to locate kidneys while another sonographer may always keep a patient truly supine; although, most sonographers do use both

This way they can see if the kidney is an abnormal size, if the kidney is scarred, or if there are any cysts (it’s rare to see cysts). By using ultrasound imaging, they can even diagnose fetuses with ARPKD.

According to (Srivastava & Patel, 2014, p. 306) ultrasonography (US) is the diagnostic imaging of choice in that, it is inexpensive, readily available and lack of radiation exposure. Not to mention, (Crist, McVay, & Marocco, 2013, p. 7) added that when advocating for an appropriate screening device and examination, a cost vs. gain equation usually enters the decision-making process. My niece completed her renal ultrasound test, and the result turned out to be negative. Also, the doctor performed a genetic testing as strongly recommended to her. Furthermore, (Srivastava & Patel, 2014, p. 306) believed that a young at-risk patient who is asymptomatic and has negative findings on renal ultrasound would benefit from genetic testing as a confirmatory test since it does not rely upon age-specific criteria. Her genetic test is also negative, meaning that there is no defective gene found.

So as to diagnose this disease, the doctors may use several tests to determine the quantity and size of the cysts. These tests are also used to identify the number of healthy kidney tissues that an individual has. The most commonly used tests is the ultrasound scans where a transducer is placed on the body and is used to emit muffled sound waves that a computer translates into a picture of the kidneys. A second test are the computerized tomography scan that utilizes thin x-ray beams to allow the doctor view a cross-sectional image of each kidney. The third medical test that can be carried out is magnetic resonance imaging where a cross-sectional view of the organs is projected using magnetic fields. Once diagnosed, the management of polycystic kidney disease entails the medical handling of the symptoms from an early stage. Achieving this thus calls for the regulation of blood pressure using angiotensin-converting enzyme drugs so as to stop further degradation of the kidneys. Painkillers are also used to control the pain, and antibiotics used to cure any kidney and bladder infections. In severe cases where the cysts inhibit the functioning of the kidneys, kidney dialysis is done.

Ultrasound is the most cost-efficient of the three, but tends for a lesser accuracy, though certain unique benchmarks have aided in minimizing the possibility of misdiagnosis. Computerized tomography is preferred for its sensitivity, but the contrast dyes used are a concern for the already compromised kidney function. Magnetic resonance imaging would be utilized for determining the severity and specifics of a patient’s PKD.

Acute renal failure is a disorder of the urinary system. It involves the loss of kidney function and may occur suddenly. Acute renal failure occurs when blood flow to the kidneys is decreased. There are numerous reasons why there may be a decrease in renal function. A urinary tract obstruction, low blood pressure, illness, inflammation of the kidneys, and harmful substances are examples of causes of acute renal failure. These causes have different origins. The causes are separated into prerenal, intrarenal, and postrenal. Prerenal causes of acute renal failure are caused by a sudden drop in blood pressure. It may also be due to an "interruption of blood flow to the kidneys from severe injury or illness"(Stanbridge College, 2014). Prerenal is the most common cause of acute renal failure. Intrarenal is caused by harmful substances, infection, and inflammation. These cause direct damage to the kidneys. Postrenal is due to a decrease in urine flow. Obstruction of urine may be caused by renal calculi, injury, strictures, an enlarged prostate, or a tumor in the bladder.

Patients who undergo diagnostic procedures are at an increased risk of contrast-induced nephropathy. Contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) is defined as, “absolute (greater that or equal to 0.5mg/dl) and/or 25% relative increase from baseline serum creatinine” (Sani, D. H, 2015, p226). Contrast induced nephropathy is also referred to as acute kidney injury and can lead to chronic kidney injury, need for dialysis, and death. Contrast medium used in conjunction with x-ray imaging during a cardiac catheterization is the how a doctor can diagnosis as well as intervene in the procedure. The contrast medium used can have toxic effects on the kidneys, specifically the renal tubular cells. Research has show that CIN is the third cause of hospital-acquired

Ultrasonography is an imaging modality that gives way to seeing within the human body and the structures that inhabit it. One main interest of ultrasound would be to visualize internal organs–such as the kidneys—and measure the dimensions they possess in order to understand more about them. Kidneys are retroperitoneal organs that appear as bean-shaped structures in the abdomen. Kidneys aid in systemic responsibilities such as the following: “to regulate blood pressure, to maintain levels of electrolytes, and to prevent buildup of wastes and extra fluid in the body” (Young, 2015). The parameters of kidneys on ultrasound can tell a lot about each kidney’s structure and function, if any. Renal ultrasound exams are important in clinical use because “in many renal disorders, it is known that there is a close relationship between renal size and its function” (Arooj, 2011). For instance, a kidney

In order to deal with pain, many health care providers suggest taking over-the-counter medication like aspirin. High blood pressure is one of the most common symptoms in patients with PKD. Many patients have to make lifestyle changes and take various medications to lower blood pressure. Some lifestyle changes that may need to take place include a strict diet or an increase in exercise. About 50 percent of people with PKD experience kidney failure by the age of 60, and 70 percent will have kidney failure by age 70 (National Kidney Foundation, 2016). Although there is no way to reverse kidney failure, there are ways to prolong the life of the kidneys. Patients either need to receive dialysis or receive a kidney transplant. There are two types of dialysis. The first is hemodialysis. This is where a machine is used to filter toxins from the blood. The second is peritoneal dialysis. This is where the lining of the abdomen is used to filter blood from inside the body. A kidney transplant is when the unhealthy kidney is removed from the patient’s body and a healthy one is put in. The healthy kidney typically comes from a family member to reduce the risk of rejection (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney

A mobile Computerized Tomography unit can identify Strokes or head trauma. Portable Ultrasounds can show bleeds, veins, fetal movement, cardiac contractility and blood flow, among the many uses it has. The ultrasound holds many uses for the medic if they know what they are looking for. These are just extra tools for the medic to use to aid in the care that is needed. The fast identification of many issues can lead to quicker response time in the care that the patient needs to

One of the major concerns associated with contrast administration is the risk for renal impairment known as contrast induced nephropathy (CIN). Furthermore, CIN is a serious complication effecting patient outcomes and health care costs. Studies agree, while the true number of CIN occurrences is difficult to attain, pre-existing health factors and conditions, such as, advanced age, kidney disease, congestive heart failure, hypertension, hyperuricemia, hypovolemia, non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, diabetes mellitus, and Glucophage are known to increase the risk potential (Schwab et al., 1989). In addition to CIN, other contrast reactions include contrast induced bronchospasm, and mild systemic contrast reactions. Therefore, identification

For the scans, patients were in either a supine or supine oblique position; the latter was majorly used during the scans due to the location of each kidney. Two experienced sonographers scanned the same, multiple patients in assistance with the research; these were the only sonographers to aid in the process in order to have consistent scanning techniques. The sonographers took the time out of their busy schedule in order to complete the data found. The sampling selection was conducted on the basis of what would not restrict the research’s outcome; a pure collection of data is ideal to support the research. Gender was equally represented throughout to make sure the samples of data are fair and to not sway the data. Another reason gender was an issue was due to the fact that there tends to be a slight difference in kidney sizes. By comparison, females tend to have relatively smaller kidneys compared to that of the male population (Arooj, 2000). Some factors, however, were limited in order to receive consistent data. For instance, patients with chronic renal disease were exempted because the kidneys’ sizes tend to be reduced from the original size; this could cause outliers to exist, which would be an error on the trial. On the other hand, race, height, and weight were not limited; these demographics would not cause a major difference in the measurements collected. The design for the research