Ultrasound Guided Biopsy
Ultrasound and Sonography

Using the newest, state of the art equipment, the high resolution ultrasound scans are obtained by a trained technologist and interpreted by physicians specializing in body imaging. All scans performed at Promedica are supervised by the physicians.

A hand-held device called a transducer is placed on the patient's skin. A gel is used to help transmit the sound waves into the body. The transducer sends the sound waves and receives the reflected sound waves. The signals are then sent to a computer for processing and image construction. These images that are produced are displayed on a video monitor and printed on film.

Ultrasound is painless and safe. Since ultrasound does not use ionizing radiation, it can be safely used to image the growing fetus and mother.  Promedica uses the GE 3D ultrasound machine which enhances the 2D ultrasound obstetric evaluation, in evaluating the fetus for anomalies of the face and head, and skeletal abnormalities.

Ultrasound exams of both adults and children are performed at Promedica: 

Scrotum Kidneys Blood Vessels Gallbladder Abdominal Organs

Thyroid Pelvis Obstetric Doppler, and vascular ultrasound studies

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Sonohysterograms or Hysterosonography

Sonohysterography is a technique for evaluating the uterine cavity by the instillation of sterile saline solution through a cather. It is indicated for:

• to evaluate the uterus in postmenopausal and perimenopausal women with unexplained uterine bleeding
• to evaluate the cavity in women with widened endometrial cavity due to mass
• to evaluate the endometrium in women who are on Tamoxifen regimen

3D ultrasound is used to enhance the images obtained in evaluating endometrial abnormalities such as polyps, fibroids, tumors, or hormonally induced endometrial thickening.

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Ultrasound guided Fine needle Biopsy

Fine needle biopsy is a technique using a small 22g needle to sample different organs of the body. The procedure is performed using sterile technique. A needle is inserted into the area of interest using ultrasound guidance.

Using a suction technique cells are removed, placed on a slide and sent to the pathologist for analysis. Local anesthesia or numbing is used for this procedure. There are no bandages, and there are no after-effects. The procedure takes only a few minutes to perform.

When abdominal biopsies are performed, fasting is required for 6 hours. Otherwise there is no preparation for the biopsy.

Almost any structure that is not bone, or air-containing, can be biopsied by this method, such as liver, kidney, spleen, pancreas. Patients who take daily aspirin or coumadin or anti-inflammatory medication regularly should stop taking these medications 4-5 days prior to the biopsy. They can be resumed 24 hours after the biopsy.

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