Sonographer Training

Ultrasound technician training starts with a formal education program that includes an internship.

Performing Ultrasound Imaging

Ultrasound technician training consists not only of formal coursework but also the daily experiences these professionals

encounter. These professions are trained to look for certain things in an image to help a physician make a diagnosis. Ultrasound techs are typically looking to determine if the organ(s) they’re scanning have abnormalities or fall under the “normal” realm. Sonographers measure certain organs to compare them to the standard range of size, and shape. In obstetrics, measurements are extremely important because they can detect malformations or under/over growth of the baby. This can lead to intervention of a high-risk situation.

Another thing sonographers are looking for when performing ultrasounds are the “shades of gray” in the image. Every organ has what is considered a “normal” shade of gray, with a little variance between individuals. For example, the kidneys are always supposed to be a darker shade than the liver or spleen. Examining shades of gray is an effective method for finding subtle pathology of an organ. For instance, a fatty liver appears lighter and coarser than the “normal” gray, finely textured liver. These findings are only noticeable by seasoned sonographers who have seen hundreds of both normal and abnormal sonograms.

Preparing Scans for the Ordering Physician

The sonographer’s scans, which typically include measurements, are first sent to a radiologist for interpretation and to be signed off on. The radiologist will then prepare a report for the ordering physician, which may include measurements or may just say the study was “normal”. Typically the ordering physician does not receive the images. The exception is in OB offices where the obstetrician may read and interpret the images rather than involving a radiologist.

Learn more about ultrasound technician schools.

In most settings a sonographer is not required to write any comments on the scans or sign anything before forwarding the images on to the radiologist. This is so the legal liability falls on the radiologist and hospital. However, this policy may not be true in all cases. Some facilities require a sonographer initialing by the measurements and any abnormal “findings”. In these situations it is important for sonographers to remain vague in what is written down, and verbalizing further necessary details to the radiologist. Ultimately, the radiologist has the final say to determine the diagnosis or findings on their report that gets sent back to the ordering physician.