What does collaborative research provide?
The urinary system works as a single whole: a stone in the lower third of the ureter manifests itself as an expansion of the renal pelvis, and a violation of the outflow from the bladder over time leads to kidney damage. Therefore they are assessed together. The doctor examines the kidneys, determines the presence of stones and the expansion of the collecting system, then the bladder: the thickness and evenness of the wall, the presence of stones, suspension and formations. An important indicator is the volume of residual urine after urination: its increase indicates bladder outlet obstruction, most often associated with prostate adenoma in men. The study is carried out with a full bladder.
Why ultrasound is the first line method
Ultrasound does not use ionizing radiation, is fast, inexpensive, and provides images in real time. Therefore, it begins with the diagnosis of most diseases of internal organs, thyroid and mammary glands, blood vessels, joints and soft tissues.
A separate advantage is the ability to evaluate not only structure, but also movement: blood flow in the vessels, heart contractions, peristalsis, and fetal movements. Neither CT nor MRI in standard mode show this.
Ultrasound modes
- B-mode - a conventional two-dimensional gray scale image of the organ structure
- Dopplerography - assessment of the speed and direction of blood flow in the vessels
- duplex scanning - a combination of vessel imaging and blood flow analysis
- 4D - volumetric image in real time
What influences the quality of research
Ultrasound does not pass through air and does not pass well through dense bone tissue. Therefore, gases in the intestines interfere with examination of the pancreas, and the lungs and brain of an adult are inaccessible for examination. This explains the preparation requirements: diet and fasting study significantly improve visualization.
The second important factor is the doctor: ultrasound diagnostics largely depends on the experience of the specialist, since the image is assessed at the time of the examination.