ultrasoundalso called ultrasonographyin medicine, the use of high-frequency sound (ultrasonic) waves to produce images of structures within the human body. Ultrasonic waves are sound waves that are above the range of sound audible to humans. The ultrasonic waves are produced by the electrical stimulation of a piezoelectric crystal and can be aimed at a specific area of the body. As the waves travel through bodily tissues, they are reflected back at any point where there is a change in tissue density, as, for instance, in the border between two different organs of the body. The reflected echoes are received by an electronic apparatus that determines the intensity level of the echoes and the position of the tissue giving rise to the echoes. The images thus formed can be displayed in static form, or, through the use of rapid multiple sound scans, they can in effect provide a moving picture of the inside of the body.

Part of ultrasound’s usefulness derives from the fact that the sound waves are less potentially harmful to human tissues than are X-rays or other ionizing radiations. Because it is an invasive procedure, theoretical risks to the tissues do exist; however, there are no known examples of tissue damage from conventional ultrasound imaging. Ultrasound is most commonly used to examine fetuses in utero in order to ascertain size, position, or abnormalities. Ultrasound is also used to provide images of the heart, the liver, the kidneys, the gallbladder, breastthe breasts, eyethe eyes, and major blood vessels. It also can be used to diagnose tumours and to guide certain procedures, such as needle biopsies, the introduction of tubes for drainage, and intrauterine corrective surgery.

The images produced by ultrasound are not as precise as images obtained through computerized axial tomography (CAT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). However, ultrasound is used in many procedures because it is quick and relatively inexpensive and has no known biological hazards when used within the diagnostic range.