A Definitive List of Everything You Can and Cannot Scan as a Sonographer

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A Definitive List of Everything You Can and Cannot Scan as a Sonographer
On September 18, 2016

It only takes 21 months for the sonography professionals at Stautzenberger College to transform you into a scanning machine capable of spotting even the smallest discrepancies in the human body.
On average, a sonographer can make anywhere from $23 to $46 an hour with the hourly mean wage being $28.67 in Northeastern Ohio. Nationwide, the job outlook for sonographers is a staggering growth of 24 percent – a rate that bls.gov classifies “much faster than average.”
One may wonder; how do sonographers spend their days? A common misconception about the medical sonography profession is that sonographers only work with pregnant women… this could not be more inaccurate. Early on in the diagnostic medical sonography program at Stautzenberger College, students are grilled on anatomy and physiology. Why? – Ultrasound technology is utilized for virtually every part of the human body with a few minor exceptions.
First, the long list of everything in the human body that can undergo ultrasound treatment:
1. Heart*
2. Aorta and IVC (Inferior Vena Cava)*
3. Celiac Arteries
4. Superior Mesenteric Arteries
5. Renal Arteries and Veins
6. Arteries on the Neck
7. Veins in the Legs
8. Veins elsewhere*
9. Pleural Cavity
10. Peritoneal Cavity
11. Kidneys
12. Liver
13. Lungs
14. Small intestine
15. Stomach
16. Bladder
17. Large intestine
18. Muscles
19. Skeleton
20. Gallbladder and the bile ducts
21. Appendix
22. Pancreas
23. Spleen
24. Prostate
25. Invasive Procedures
26. Thyroid
27. Breasts
28. Skin
29. Eyes
30. Neck
31. Face
32. Ears
33. Arteries*
34. Chest wall
35. Ligaments
36. Tendons
37. Digestive tract
38. Ovaries
39. Uterus
40. Fallopian tubes
41. Adrenal glands
42. Lymph nodes
43. Penis
44. Testicles
45. Nerves
46. Feet
47. Cranial “Circle of Willis”
48. Infant brain tissue
49. Arteries in the brain*

*Items with an asterisk indicate only sonographers with cardiovascular training may scan these indicated areas.
Second, the (very) short list of items that cannot be seen via sonography:
1. Adult Brain Tissue
Adult brain tissue may not be scanned due to the skull blocking sound waves emitting from the transducer, but the exception to the rule is that infant brain tissue may be scanned. This is due to the infant’s soft spot.
For now, the list of scan-able body parts is sparse. Given the rapid pace advancement in sonography technology, this one-item list could someday be obsolete and sonographers will be able to scan adult brain tissue.
Did we miss anything?
If you have an adoration for anatomy, a passion for physiology and consideration for patients, you might consider a career in diagnostic medical sonography. Come check out the lab at Stautzenberger College to see if this occupation is right for you. Call 440-838-1999 to set up a tour today!
 
 
 

 
Kelsey Cullen has been gaining public relations, advertising and marketing experience in the Cleveland-Akron area since 2010. Cullen joined Stautzenberger College as a Community Outreach Coordinator in January 2016. She wears many hats at the school; including admissions, event planning, social media producing and guest speaking in high schools. Cullen is currently engaged to Kevin Kelsey (no that is not a typo) and is an admitted crazy cat mom to Rorschach and Crash.
 
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