978-834-8210, to schedule an appointment
Anna Jaques Hospital offers the latest in ultrasound technology with 3 onsite ultrasound units. Our radiologists conduct between 11,000 and 12,000 ultrasounds each year, including everything from fetal and abdominal imaging to cardiac and cranial imaging. Whether it's an examination of a heart valve or a view of a moving baby, you can rest assured that physicians at Anna Jaques are equipped and enabled to perform diagnostic ultrasound at the highest levels.
We are pleased to offer ultrasound to our patients at two convenient locations.
Anna Jaques Hospital
25 Highland Avenue
Newburyport, MA 01950
978-463-1120
7 days a week, Hours: 8 am - 5 pm
25 Highland Avenue
Newburyport, MA 01950
978-463-1120
7 days a week, Hours: 8 am - 5 pm
Amesbury Health Center
24 Morrill Place
Amesbury, MA 01913
978-834-8377
Weekday Hours: 8 am - 5 pm
24 Morrill Place
Amesbury, MA 01913
978-834-8377
Weekday Hours: 8 am - 5 pm
For your reference, we have provided information concerning fetal, pelvic, abdominal, cranial and breast ultrasounds.
Fetal Ultrasound
Test Overview
A fetal ultrasound uses reflected sound waves to produce a picture of a fetus, the placenta, and amniotic fluid. It does not use X-rays or other types of possibly harmful radiation and can be done as early as the 5th week of pregnancy.
Test Overview
A fetal ultrasound uses reflected sound waves to produce a picture of a fetus, the placenta, and amniotic fluid. It does not use X-rays or other types of possibly harmful radiation and can be done as early as the 5th week of pregnancy.
During an ultrasound test, a small handheld instrument called a transducer (that emits and detects high-pitched sounds beyond the range of human hearing) is passed back and forth over the area of the body being examined. A computer analyzes the sound waves that are reflected back from structures inside the body. These reflected sound waves are converted into a picture and displayed on a video monitor. The images, which may be in color, produced by ultrasound are called a sonogram, echogram, or scan. Pictures or videos of the ultrasound images may be saved for a permanent record.
Fetal ultrasound can be done by inserting the transducer into the woman's vagina (transvaginal), by moving the transducer across her abdomen (transabdominal), or by a combination of both ways. Transvaginal ultrasound is generally done early in a pregnancy to detect a suspected ectopic pregnancy and, occasionally, late in pregnancy to determine the location of the placenta or in a high-risk pregnancy to monitor the length of the cervix. After about the 11th week of pregnancy, almost all ultrasound tests are done using the transabdominal method.
Another ultrasound technique called Doppler ultrasound (or duplex scanning) uses reflected sound waves to estimate the speed and direction of blood as it flows through a blood vessel. Doppler ultrasound may be used to evaluate blood flow to the placenta and within the fetus.
Fetal ultrasound is the safest way to obtain information about the fetus, such as size and position. Sometimes (in the second or third trimester) it can also determine the sex of the fetus and detect structural abnormalities.
- Fetal ultrasound usually can confirm pregnancy 6 to 7 weeks after the woman's last menstrual period.
- Fetal ultrasound can be done to predict a woman's due date and estimate the age of the fetus.
- If fetal ultrasound is done during the 7th to 14th week of pregnancy, the age of the fetus can usually be determined to within 5 days.
- From the 14th to the 26th week of pregnancy, ultrasound to determine the age is usually accurate to within 7 to 14 days.
- After the 26th week of pregnancy, ultrasound becomes less accurate at determining the age of the fetus.
- Fetal growth rates are checked by comparing the size of the fetus's head, limbs, and body with standard tables.
- The sex of the fetus can often, but not always, be determined by about the 18th week of pregnancy. Fetal ultrasound is not done solely to determine the sex of the fetus.
Pelvic Ultrasound
Test Overview
A pelvic ultrasound (sonogram) is a procedure that uses reflected sound waves to produce a picture of the lower abdominal (pelvic) organs and other structures inside the pelvis. It does not use X-rays or other types of possibly harmful radiation.
Test Overview
A pelvic ultrasound (sonogram) is a procedure that uses reflected sound waves to produce a picture of the lower abdominal (pelvic) organs and other structures inside the pelvis. It does not use X-rays or other types of possibly harmful radiation.
A pelvic ultrasound looks at the organs within the pelvis, including:
- The bladder, ovaries, uterus, cervix, and fallopian tubes of a woman. See an illustration of female organs seen on pelvic ultrasound
- The bladder, prostate gland, and seminal vesicles of a man.
A pelvic ultrasound is most useful for looking at organs and structures that are solid and uniform, like the uterus, ovaries, or prostate gland, or are fluid-filled, like the bladder. Mineralized structures, like bones, or air-filled organs, like the intestines, do not show up well on a sonogram and will disrupt the ultrasound beam so that deeper organs and structures cannot be seen clearly.
Pelvic ultrasound can be done three ways: transabdominal, transrectal, and transvaginal.
- Transabdominal ultrasound. A small handheld instrument called a transducer is passed back and forth over the pelvic area. A transabdominal ultrasound is commonly done to evaluate large uterine fibroids.
- Transrectal ultrasound. The transducer is shaped to fit into the rectum. A transrectal ultrasound is done to evaluate the male pelvic organs.
- Transvaginal ultrasound. The transducer is shaped to fit into a woman's vagina. A woman may have both transabdominal and transvaginal ultrasound scans done to obtain a complete evaluation of the pelvic area. A transvaginal ultrasound is done to evaluate fertility concerns. Occasionally, hysterosonography is done to evaluate the inside of the uterus (endometrial cavity) by filling the uterus with fluid during a transvaginal ultrasound.
In all three types of pelvic ultrasound, the transducer sends out high-pitched sounds (above the range of human hearing) that are reflected back to the transducer. A computer analyzes the sound waves and converts them into a picture that is displayed on a video monitor. The picture produced by ultrasound is called a sonogram, echogram, or scan. Pictures or videos of the ultrasound images may be saved as a permanent record.
Abdominal Ultrasound
Test Overview
An abdominal ultrasound can provide pictures of structures and organs in the abdomen, such as the:
Test Overview
An abdominal ultrasound can provide pictures of structures and organs in the abdomen, such as the:
- Abdominal aorta - the large blood vessel (artery) that passes down the back of the chest and abdomen, just to the left of the backbone.
- Liver, a large dome-shaped organ that lies under the rib cage on the right side of the abdomen. The liver produces bile (a substance that helps digest fat), stores sugars, and breaks down many of the body's waste products.
- Gallbladder, a saclike organ beneath the liver. The gallbladder stores bile. When food is eaten, the gallbladder contracts, sending bile into the intestine.
- Spleen, the soft, round organ that helps fight infection and filters old red blood cells. The spleen is located to the left of the stomach, just behind the lowest left rib.
- Pancreas, the gland located in the upper abdomen that produces substances (enzymes) that help digest food. The digestive enzymes are then released into the intestines. The pancreas also releases a substance (insulin) into the bloodstream that helps the body utilize sugars for energy.
- Kidneys, the pair of bean-shaped organs located behind the upper abdominal cavity. The kidneys remove wastes from the blood and produce urine.
Cranial Ultrasound
Test Overview
Cranial ultrasound is used to evaluate the brain and ventricles, or openings, in the brain through which cerebrospinal fluid flows. This test is most commonly done on infants to evaluate complications of premature birth. In adults, cranial ultrasound may be done to localize brain masses during brain surgery.
Test Overview
Cranial ultrasound is used to evaluate the brain and ventricles, or openings, in the brain through which cerebrospinal fluid flows. This test is most commonly done on infants to evaluate complications of premature birth. In adults, cranial ultrasound may be done to localize brain masses during brain surgery.
Ultrasound waves cannot pass through bones; therefore, an ultrasound to evaluate the brain cannot be done once the bones of the skull (cranium) have grown together. Cranial ultrasound can be done on infants before the bones of the skull have grown together or on adults after the skull has been surgically opened.
Cranial ultrasound for infants
Complications of premature birth include bleeding in the brain (intraventricular hemorrhage, or IVH) and periventricular leukomalacia (PVL). PVL is a condition in which the brain tissue around the ventricles is damaged, possibly from decreased oxygen or blood flow to the brain that may have occurred before, during, or after delivery. Both IVH and PVL increase an infant's risk of developing disabilities that may range from mild learning or gross motor delays to cerebral palsy or mental retardation.
Complications of premature birth include bleeding in the brain (intraventricular hemorrhage, or IVH) and periventricular leukomalacia (PVL). PVL is a condition in which the brain tissue around the ventricles is damaged, possibly from decreased oxygen or blood flow to the brain that may have occurred before, during, or after delivery. Both IVH and PVL increase an infant's risk of developing disabilities that may range from mild learning or gross motor delays to cerebral palsy or mental retardation.
IVH is more common in premature infants than in full-term infants. When it occurs, it most commonly develops in the first 3 to 4 days after birth. Cranial ultrasound can detect most cases of IVH by the first week after delivery. By contrast, PVL can take several weeks to become detectable. For this reason, cranial ultrasound may be repeated between 4 to 8 weeks after delivery if PVL is suspected. Several cranial ultrasound tests may be done to evaluate suspicious areas in the brain.
Cranial ultrasound may be done to evaluate an infant's large or increasing head size, detect infection in or around the brain (such as from encephalitis or meningitis), or to screen for brain problems that are present from birth (such as congenital hydrocephalus).
Cranial ultrasound for adults
Cranial ultrasound may be done on an adult to help locate a brain mass. Because cranial ultrasound cannot be done once the skull bones have fused, it is only done once the skull has been surgically opened (during brain surgery).
Thyroid and Parathyroid Ultrasound
Test Overview
A thyroid and parathyroid ultrasound is an imaging test to evaluate the thyroid gland and parathyroid glands. A thyroid ultrasound can help determine the size and shape of the thyroid gland, but it cannot determine the function of the thyroid. Ultrasound also may be used to evaluate the four parathyroid glands that lie within or next to the thyroid. See an illustration of the thyroid gland and parathyroid glands. The thyroid gland produces a hormone called thyroxine that controls how fast the body converts food into energy (metabolism). Parathyroid hormone, or PTH, is produced by the parathyroid glands and regulates calcium and phosphorus levels in the blood.
Test Overview
A thyroid and parathyroid ultrasound is an imaging test to evaluate the thyroid gland and parathyroid glands. A thyroid ultrasound can help determine the size and shape of the thyroid gland, but it cannot determine the function of the thyroid. Ultrasound also may be used to evaluate the four parathyroid glands that lie within or next to the thyroid. See an illustration of the thyroid gland and parathyroid glands. The thyroid gland produces a hormone called thyroxine that controls how fast the body converts food into energy (metabolism). Parathyroid hormone, or PTH, is produced by the parathyroid glands and regulates calcium and phosphorus levels in the blood.
During a thyroid and parathyroid ultrasound, a small handheld instrument called a transducer is passed back and forth over the neck to produce a picture of the thyroid gland and parathyroid glands.
Breast Ultrasound
Test Overview
A breast ultrasound is a procedure that uses reflected sound waves to view and produce a picture of the internal structures of the breast. A breast ultrasound can show all areas of the breast, including the area closest to the chest wall, which is hard to study with a mammogram. Breast ultrasound does not use X-rays or other types of possibly harmful radiation.
Test Overview
A breast ultrasound is a procedure that uses reflected sound waves to view and produce a picture of the internal structures of the breast. A breast ultrasound can show all areas of the breast, including the area closest to the chest wall, which is hard to study with a mammogram. Breast ultrasound does not use X-rays or other types of possibly harmful radiation.
A breast ultrasound is used to determine whether a breast lump is filled with fluid (a cyst) or a solid mass. An ultrasound generally does not replace the need for a mammogram; however, it is often used to further evaluate a problem seen on a mammogram.
For a breast ultrasound, a small handheld instrument called a transducer is passed back and forth over the breast. It sends out high-pitched sound waves (above the range of human hearing) that are reflected back to the transducer. A detector analyzes the sound waves and converts them into a picture that is displayed on a video monitor. The picture produced by ultrasound is called a sonogram, echogram, or ultrasound scan. Pictures or videos of the ultrasound images may be made for a permanent record.