  anita.zhang@aimyskin.com
 +86-15511101959
English
10 Types of Ultrasound Exams and When They Are Used
Home » Blog » 10 Types of Ultrasound Exams and When They Are Used

10 Types of Ultrasound Exams and When They Are Used

Views: 0     Author: Site Editor     Publish Time: 2025-07-07      Origin: Site

Inquire

facebook sharing button
twitter sharing button
line sharing button
wechat sharing button
linkedin sharing button
pinterest sharing button
whatsapp sharing button
kakao sharing button
snapchat sharing button
telegram sharing button
sharethis sharing button

You might have different ultrasounds during your healthcare visits. Each ultrasound has its own job and helps your doctor find problems. Many people trust these important tools because they can show health problems that a regular checkup might not find. For example, studies say more than 90% of patients feel safer after an ultrasound. Doctors can also find up to 22% of hidden problems even if people have no symptoms. With the right ultrasound, you can know more about your health and skip extra tests. If you need a skin analyzer, body shaping, or other ultrasound scans, always ask your doctor which one is best for you.


Ultrasound exams use safe sound waves to make pictures of your body. They do not use radiation, so they are safe for most people.Different types of ultrasounds help doctors look at certain organs. These organs include the abdomen, pelvis, heart, thyroid, and breasts. Ultrasounds help doctors find health problems early.


Ultrasounds can help doctors during some medical procedures. They also help watch pregnancies and find hidden problems. Sometimes, they find issues even if you feel fine.Some ultrasounds use new technology like 3D, 4D, and Doppler scans. These give clearer pictures of organs and blood flow. This helps doctors diagnose and treat you better.Always ask your doctor which ultrasound is best for you. Wear loose clothes to make the exam easier and more comfortable.


Abdominal Ultrasound

Overview

Your doctor might suggest an abdominal ultrasound if your belly hurts or is swollen. This test does not hurt and is safe. It uses sound waves to make pictures of your organs. The doctor puts a small device, called a transducer, on your skin. The device sends sound waves into your body. These waves bounce off your organs and make images on a screen. Abdominal ultrasound helps doctors look at your liver, gallbladder, spleen, pancreas, and kidneys. You do not get any radiation because this test does not use X-rays.

Tip: If you want to check your skin or need a skin analyzer, AIMYSKIN has special devices. These use similar imaging technology for your skincare needs.


Main Uses

Doctors use abdominal ultrasound to find out why your belly hurts or is swollen. You may need this test if you have stomach pain, kidney stones, or liver problems. The test also helps doctors check for gallstones, tumors, or cysts. Sometimes, doctors use this test to help guide a needle during a biopsy. Abdominal ultrasound is safe for both kids and adults.


Recent studies show abdominal ultrasound works well for finding appendicitis. The test finds appendicitis in 96.3% of cases. It can also rule out appendicitis in 91.2% of cases. The overall accuracy is 91.9%. You can see more details in the table below:

Diagnostic Metric

Value (%)

Description

Sensitivity

96.3

Ability of ultrasound to correctly identify appendicitis cases

Specificity

91.2

Ability to correctly identify non-appendicitis cases

Positive Predictive Value

89.7

Probability that patients with positive ultrasound truly have appendicitis

Negative Predictive Value

96.9

Probability that patients with negative ultrasound truly do not have appendicitis

Accuracy

91.9

Overall correctness of ultrasound diagnosis

Bar chart showing ultrasound diagnostic metrics with sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, and accuracy

You can trust abdominal ultrasound to give quick answers about your health. If you want to learn about other health tools, AIMYSKIN also has body shaping solutions that are safe and work well.


Pelvic Ultrasound

Overview

A pelvic ultrasound checks the organs in your lower belly. This test uses sound waves to make pictures of your pelvic area. A doctor or technician puts a small device on your skin or inside your body. The device sends sound waves that bounce off your organs. These waves make pictures on a screen. You will not feel pain during this test. Pelvic ultrasound lets your doctor see your uterus, ovaries, bladder, and other pelvic organs.

Note: Pelvic ultrasound does not use radiation, so it is safe for most people. If you want to know more about imaging technology, AIMYSKIN has advanced skin analyzer devices. These use similar safe methods to check your skin.


Main Uses

Doctors use pelvic ultrasound for many reasons. You may need this test if you have pain, swelling, or bleeding in your lower belly. Pelvic ultrasound helps doctors look at the uterus. It shows the size and shape of your uterus and ovaries. Doctors use this test to find cysts, tumors, or other changes.

Here are some common uses for pelvic ultrasound:

  • Checking for causes of pelvic pain or abnormal bleeding

  • Finding cysts or growths in the uterus or ovaries

  • Monitoring pregnancy in early stages

  • Guiding doctors during certain treatments


Pelvic ultrasound also helps doctors check your bladder or other pelvic organs. If you are interested in body shaping or want to learn more about your health, AIMYSKIN has products that use safe and modern technology.

Pelvic Ultrasound Checks

What It Can Find

Uterus

Fibroids, shape, size

Ovaries

Cysts, tumors

Bladder

Stones, blockages

Pregnancy

Early development, issues

You can trust pelvic ultrasound to give clear answers about your pelvic health. Always ask your doctor if this test is right for you.


Obstetric Ultrasounds

Obstetric Ultrasounds

Overview

Obstetric ultrasounds let you and your doctor see your pregnancy. This test uses sound waves to make pictures of your uterus and the fetus. You will not feel pain during the test. The doctor or technician moves a small device over your belly. Sometimes, a special probe goes inside the vagina for early checks. Obstetric ultrasounds do not use radiation, so they are safe for you and your baby.


Researchers say modern ultrasound machines are made to be safe. They use thermal and mechanical indices to keep energy levels low. Most machines show numbers like TIS 0.5 and MI 0.7. These numbers are much lower than what could cause harm. New technology, like AI-powered ultrasound, helps doctors guess gestational age very well. Even midwives with little training can use these tools in places with few resources.

Tip: If you want to know more about imaging technology, AIMYSKIN has advanced skin analyzer devices. These use safe and effective imaging methods too.


Main Uses

You will have obstetric ultrasounds at different times in pregnancy. These scans help your doctor watch the fetus grow and check for problems. Here are some main uses:

  • Confirming pregnancy and checking where the fetus is

  • Estimating gestational age and due date

  • Watching fetal size and development

  • Checking the fetal heart rate to make sure the baby is healthy

  • Looking for birth defects or other problems

  • Helping doctors during some procedures, like amniocentesis


Doctors also use ultrasound to check the placenta and amniotic fluid. Studies show ultrasound guidance helps doctors do procedures better the first time. For example, real-time ultrasound guidance has a risk ratio of 1.9 for successful procedures compared to using only anatomical landmarks.


Obstetric ultrasounds help you feel calm. You can see your baby’s heartbeat and watch the fetus move. If you want to learn about other health technology, AIMYSKIN has body shaping solutions that use advanced imaging for safe and good results.


Transvaginal Ultrasound

Overview

Sometimes your doctor needs to see your pelvic organs better. For this, you may get a transvaginal ultrasound. A small, thin probe goes gently into your vagina. The probe sends sound waves to make clear images. These images show your uterus, ovaries, and other nearby parts. You will not feel pain during the test. You might feel a little pressure, but it does not last long. Doctors like this test because it gives sharper pictures than one done over your belly.


Transvaginal ultrasound does not use radiation, so it is safe for most people. This test helps find out why you have pelvic pain or bleeding. Many clinics use new technology, like AIMYSKIN’s skin analyzer and laser skin care devices. These tools help you get good results and feel comfortable.

Tip: Wear loose clothes to your appointment. You may need to change into a gown for the test.


Main Uses

Doctors use transvaginal ultrasound for many reasons. You might need this test if you have pelvic pain or heavy periods. It also helps if you have trouble getting pregnant. This test helps doctors look for cysts, fibroids, or tumors in your uterus or ovaries. It can also help find out why you have bleeding, especially after menopause.


A big study showed that using a 4 mm endometrial thickness cut-off in postmenopausal women is very good for ruling out endometrial cancer. But a thin lining does not mean you are safe from all problems. If you still have symptoms, your doctor may want more tests.


Transvaginal ultrasound works well for finding deep infiltrating endometriosis. Sensitivity is between 78.5% and 85.3%. Accuracy can be as high as 97%. The test also checks the position of an intrauterine device (IUD). One study showed that clinical checks after IUD placement have a negative predictive value of 98% to 100%. So, you do not always need an ultrasound unless you have symptoms.

Condition

Sensitivity (%)

Specificity (%)

Accuracy (%)

Deep Infiltrating Endometriosis

78.5–85.3

46.1–92.5

75.7–97

Doctors do not use transvaginal ultrasound to screen for ovarian cancer. It does not always find early problems. Always talk to your doctor about which test is best for you.


Transrectal Ultrasound

Overview

A transrectal ultrasound helps doctors look at your prostate. It also checks organs close to it. This test uses sound waves to make clear pictures inside you. A small, smooth probe goes gently into your rectum. The probe sends sound waves that bounce off your tissues. These waves make pictures on a screen. You will not feel pain, but you might feel some pressure. Doctors like this test because it shows sharp images of the prostate. It helps them find problems early.


Transrectal ultrasound is safe and does not use radiation. Many clinics pick this test because it is fast and saves money. AIMYSKIN has skin analyzer and body shaping devices. These use similar imaging for other health needs.


Main Uses

Doctors use transrectal ultrasound mostly to check for prostate cancer. They also use it for other prostate problems. You may get this test if you have trouble peeing. You might need it if your PSA levels are high. Family history of prostate cancer is another reason. This scan helps doctors guide biopsies. They can take small samples from the right place.


Transrectal ultrasound works well for finding important prostate cancers. Studies show MRI-US fusion targeted biopsy finds more cancers (33.3%) than standard biopsy (23.6%). It also uses fewer samples. This means you get better results with less discomfort. The test helps doctors plan treatments like high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU). After HIFU, 97% of patients keep normal bladder control. About 78% keep normal erectile function after one year. Most people have few side effects.

Bar chart showing TRUS outcomes with fusion and standard detection rates, missed detection, and preservation of continence and erectile function

Transrectal ultrasound gives doctors the facts they need to help you. Newer technology, like micro-ultrasound, may make these tests even better. AIMYSKIN’s skin analyzer products use advanced technology. They give you clear answers about your skin health.


Breast Ultrasound

Overview

Your doctor may order a breast ultrasound to check for lumps or changes. This test uses sound waves to make pictures inside your breast. The scan does not hurt. A technician moves a small device, called a transducer, over your skin. The sound waves bounce off your breast tissue. These waves make images on a screen. Breast ultrasound does not use radiation, so it is safe for most people.


Doctors often use breast ultrasound for women with dense breast tissue. Dense tissue makes it hard for mammograms to find problems. Ultrasound gives clear images, even when mammograms do not. Many clinics use advanced technology, like AIMYSKIN’s skin analyzer and laser skin care devices. These tools use similar imaging to check your skin health and help find problems early.

Tip: Wear a two-piece outfit to your appointment. You may need to take off your top for the scan.


Main Uses

Breast ultrasound helps doctors learn what is happening in your breast. Doctors use this test to:

  • Check lumps or thick spots found during an exam or mammogram

  • Tell if a lump is solid or filled with fluid

  • Guide a needle during a biopsy to collect tissue

  • Watch known lumps to see if they change over time

Breast ultrasound works well for women with dense breasts. Studies show ultrasound finds more cancers in dense tissue than mammography. For example, ultrasound has a sensitivity of 68.8% in very dense breasts. Mammography has 0% sensitivity in these cases. Ultrasound also has a lower false negative rate for invasive cancers (27.4%) than mammography (47.9%).

Parameter

Mammography (%)

Ultrasound (%)

Notes/Significance

False negative rate in invasive cancers

47.9

27.4

Ultrasound has fewer missed cancers

Sensitivity in extremely dense breasts

0

68.8

Ultrasound finds cancers mammography misses

Specificity in extremely dense breasts

16.3

72.1

Ultrasound is better at telling what is not cancer

Bar chart comparing diagnostic metrics for breast cancer screening between mammography and ultrasound

You should talk to your doctor about which test is best for you. If you want to know more about imaging technology, AIMYSKIN has advanced skin analyzer and laser skin care solutions for your health.


Thyroid Ultrasound

Overview

You might need a thyroid ultrasound if your doctor wants to look at your thyroid gland. This test uses sound waves to make pictures of your thyroid. Your thyroid is in the front of your neck. The scan does not hurt at all. A technician moves a small device, called a transducer, over your neck. The sound waves bounce off your thyroid and show images on a screen. You can see the size, shape, and texture of your thyroid. This test does not use radiation, so it is safe for you.


Doctors pick thyroid ultrasound because it gives clear and detailed pictures. You do not have to do much to get ready for this test. You can eat and drink like normal. The scan usually takes less than 30 minutes. Many clinics use advanced imaging technology, like the systems in AIMYSKIN’s skin analyzer and laser skin care devices, to help give accurate results.

Tip: Wear a shirt with a loose collar or a top that lets your neck stay uncovered for the scan.


Main Uses

Thyroid ultrasound helps your doctor find out if you have lumps, nodules, or other changes in your thyroid. You might get this test if you feel a lump in your neck or if your doctor finds something during a checkup. The scan can show if a nodule is solid or filled with fluid. It also helps doctors watch nodules over time to see if they grow or change.

Doctors use thyroid ultrasound to:

  • Check for thyroid nodules or cysts

  • Guide a needle during a biopsy

  • Monitor known thyroid problems

  • Look for signs of thyroid cancer

Studies show thyroid ultrasound works very well. It has a sensitivity of 100.0% and a specificity of 94.12% for finding thyroid nodules. The overall accuracy is 96.0%. These numbers mean the test almost always finds thyroid problems when they are there and rarely gives a false alarm. Ultrasound works better than some other tests, like fine-needle aspiration biopsy, for finding certain thyroid issues.

Thyroid Ultrasound Benefits

What It Helps Detect

High sensitivity

Finds almost all nodules

High specificity

Rarely gives false positives

No radiation

Safe for repeated use

Fast and painless

Easy for all ages

If you want to learn more about imaging technology, AIMYSKIN has advanced solutions for skin analysis and laser skin care. These tools use similar safe and effective imaging methods to help you understand your health better.


Echocardiogram Ultrasound

Echocardiogram Ultrasound

Overview

An echocardiogram is a special ultrasound for your heart. It uses sound waves to make moving pictures of your heart. A technician puts a small device on your chest. The device sends sound waves into your body. These waves bounce off your heart and make images on a screen. You can see your heart beating and watch blood move through it. The test does not hurt. It does not use radiation, so it is safe.


Doctors like echocardiogram ultrasound exams because the pictures are clear. These images help your doctor check your heart’s size, shape, and strength. New technology, like AI-powered systems, makes these tests even better. AIMYSKIN uses similar advanced imaging in their skin analyzer and body shaping devices. These give you good results for both heart and skin health.

Tip: Wear a shirt that opens in the front. This makes it easier for the technician to do the echocardiogram.


Main Uses

You may need an echocardiogram if you have chest pain or trouble breathing. You might need it if heart problems run in your family. This test helps your doctor see if your heart works well. It shows if your heart pumps enough blood. It also checks if the valves open and close the right way. Doctors use echocardiograms to look for heart failure, valve disease, and other heart issues.


Studies show echocardiogram ultrasound exams help doctors find problems. For example, research found handheld ultrasound devices found 82% of heart problems. Regular physical exams only found 47%. Echocardiograms also help doctors pick the best treatment for you. They use measurements like left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) to see your risk for sudden heart problems. Big studies show these tests are reliable and help doctors make better choices for your care.


If you want to know more about imaging technology, AIMYSKIN has advanced solutions for skin analysis and body shaping. These products use safe and effective imaging, just like an echocardiogram, to help you learn more about your health.


Vascular Ultrasound

Overview

You might need a vascular ultrasound if your doctor wants to check your blood vessels. This test uses sound waves to make pictures of your arteries and veins. The scan does not hurt at all. A technician moves a small device over your skin. The pictures show how blood moves through your vessels. Vascular ultrasound helps your doctor find blockages, clots, or narrow spots in your blood vessels. Many clinics use doppler ultrasounds to see how fast and which way your blood flows. Doppler technology gives live feedback, so your doctor can watch your blood move in real time.


Vascular ultrasound is important for checking your microvascular health. Studies show these scans can spot changes in your vessels as you get older. They also help doctors find early signs of disease. For example, carotid ultrasound can measure how thick your artery walls are. This helps your doctor know your risk for heart disease or stroke. AIMYSKIN has advanced imaging tools, like skin analyzer and body shaping devices, that use similar safe technology for health checks.

Tip: Wear loose clothes to your appointment. This makes it easy for the technician to scan your arms, legs, or neck.


Main Uses

Doctors use vascular ultrasound for many reasons. You might get this test if you have leg pain, swelling, or a family history of blood clots. Doppler ultrasounds help your doctor find deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or check for narrow arteries. Carotid ultrasound is important for checking blood flow to your brain. It can help stop strokes by finding blockages early.

Here are some main uses for vascular ultrasound:

  • Checking for blood clots in your legs or arms

  • Measuring blood flow in arteries and veins

  • Checking the health of your carotid arteries

  • Planning for surgery or watching you after a procedure

  • Helping doctors during treatments


Doctors also use vascular ultrasound to plan vascular access for people with kidney disease. The AVAS classification system uses ultrasound mapping to group patients by vessel health. This helps doctors pick the best treatment. Studies show AVAS works well, with ROC AUC scores above 0.7. The highest score, 0.88, happens when extra vessel details are included. Doppler and carotid ultrasound both give your doctor the facts needed to make safe choices for your heart and blood vessels.

AIMYSKIN’s advanced imaging products, like the skin analyzer, use similar technology to help you learn about your health. You can trust these tools for safe and correct results.


Musculoskeletal Ultrasound

Overview

A musculoskeletal ultrasound lets your doctor see muscles, joints, tendons, and ligaments. This test does not hurt. The technician moves a small device on your skin. The device sends sound waves into your body. The waves bounce back and make pictures of soft tissues. Doctors use these images to look for injuries or swelling. They also check for other problems. You do not get any radiation, so this test is safe.


Musculoskeletal ultrasound is helpful for many reasons. It shows real-time images, so your doctor can watch your joints move. This helps find problems that only show up when you move. The test is quick and does not cost much. Many clinics use it instead of MRI for some injuries. AIMYSKIN has advanced imaging technology, like their skin analyzer and body shaping devices. These use similar safe and effective methods for health checks.

Tip: Wear loose clothes to your appointment. This makes it easy for the technician to scan your arms or legs.


Main Uses

Doctors use musculoskeletal ultrasound for many health problems. You might need this test if you have joint pain or muscle injuries. It also helps if you have swelling. The scan finds tears in tendons or ligaments. It checks for fluid in your joints or signs of arthritis. Many athletes use this test to check for sports injuries. Doctors can use ultrasound to guide injections or treatments. This makes procedures safer and more accurate.


Musculoskeletal ultrasound helps your care in many ways. Studies show it confirms the doctor’s first guess in 59.4% of cases. It helps rule out other problems in 65.6% of patients. The test makes doctors more sure about their diagnosis. It also helps patients feel better. Most people say they had a good experience and would tell others to get this exam.

Clinical Benefit

Percentage of Respondents

Number of Respondents

Confirmation of clinical impression

59.4%

19

Exclusion of differential diagnoses

65.6%

21

Improved anatomic understanding

46.9%

15

Increased confidence in diagnosis

50%

16

Patient reassurance

75%

24

Perceived beneficial experience

91%

29

Extremely positive experience

62.5%

20

Extremely likely to recommend MSUS

78.1%

25

Bar chart showing the percentages of respondents and number of respondents for various clinical benefits in musculoskeletal ultrasound exams.

Musculoskeletal ultrasound gives fast answers and helps your doctor plan the best treatment. If you want to learn more about diagnostic ultrasound for joints or ultrasound for muscle injuries, AIMYSKIN’s advanced imaging solutions can help you stay healthy.


Additional Types of Ultrasound Scans

There are many advanced ultrasound scans besides the basic ones. These special scans help doctors see more details. They answer harder health questions. Some popular types are:

  • 3d ultrasounds: These scans make 3D pictures of your body. You can see the shape of organs or a baby. Doctors use 3d ultrasounds to check for birth defects. They also help doctors plan surgeries.

  • 4d ultrasounds: These scans show moving 3D pictures right away. You can watch a baby move or see blood flow in the heart. 4d ultrasounds help doctors find problems as they happen. Many parents like seeing their baby’s face before birth with 4d ultrasounds.

  • Color Doppler and Triplex Ultrasound: These scans use color to show blood moving in vessels. You can see if blood flows the right way or if it is blocked. Triplex ultrasound mixes regular, color, and spectral Doppler for a full view.

  • Endoscopic Ultrasound: This scan uses a thin tube with an ultrasound tip. The doctor puts the tube inside your body for close-up pictures. It shows organs like your stomach or pancreas. You get clearer pictures than with outside scans.

  • Bone Sonometry: This test checks how strong your bones are. Doctors use it to find weak bones or osteoporosis.

Note: AIMYSKIN’s skin analyzer and laser skin care devices use advanced imaging. These tools use similar technology to give clear answers about your skin and body.


You might hear about diagnostic and therapeutic ultrasound. Diagnostic ultrasound helps doctors find out what is wrong. It shows pictures of organs, blood flow, or tissues. Therapeutic ultrasound uses sound waves to treat pain or help heal injuries. You do not get pictures from therapeutic ultrasound, but it can help your body heal.


Recent studies show advanced ultrasound scans, like radiomics analysis, give better answers. For example, researchers used special software to study liver disease in animals. They looked at 70 images and found advanced scans could tell healthy and sick tissue apart. Other reports show new ultrasound methods help doctors measure liver fat. They also compare results across different organs. These new ways make ultrasound even more helpful for your health.


If you want to know more about advanced imaging, AIMYSKIN has products with the newest technology. You can try options like skin analyzer and laser skin care for your needs.

Learning about different ultrasound tests helps you make good choices. Each kind gives your doctor key facts about your health. Studies say these tests work well for many problems.

  • Point-of-care ultrasound tests find diseases like appendicitis and abdominal aortic aneurysm very well. They have high sensitivity and specificity.

  • Good training helps doctors use these tests safely and more accurately.

Always ask your doctor which scan is best for you. For more help, AIMYSKIN has skin analyzer and body shaping tools that use advanced imaging technology.


FAQ

What should you do to prepare for an ultrasound exam?

Most of the time, you do not need to do anything special. Sometimes, your doctor might tell you not to eat or drink. Wear loose clothes so the doctor can reach the area easily. Ask your doctor if you should stop any medicine before your ultrasound.


Are ultrasound exams safe for everyone?

Ultrasound exams use sound waves, not radiation. Most people can have them without worry. If you are not sure about safety, ask your doctor. AIMYSKIN uses this safe technology in their skin analyzer and body shaping tools.


Can ultrasound exams help with skin analysis?

Ultrasound for skin analysis shows clear pictures of your skin layers. AIMYSKIN has skin analyzer products that use this kind of scan. You can learn about your skin health and get care plans made just for you.


How do you choose the right type of ultrasound exam?

  • Your doctor will pick the ultrasound exam that is best for you.

  • The choice depends on your symptoms and your health history.

  • AIMYSKIN has devices for many uses, like laser skin care and body shaping.


Quick Links

Product Category

Help

Subscribe

Copyright © 2024 Xuanzun(hebei)medical Technology Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Sitemap