Ultrasound imaging is a painless, noninvasive procedure that uses high-frequency sound waves to capture real-time images of internal organs and the functional movement of systems. Ultrasound works by sending inaudible sound waves into the body until they reach a “barrier” between tissues, such as soft tissue and bone, for example. When the sound waves reach this barrier, they get reflected back to the external transducer probe, creating a two-dimensional image that is sent to a computer containing specialized software that transforms it into a 3D image.

Ultrasound delivers no radiation and requires no injection of contrast medium, making it a preferred diagnostic tool for people with hypersensitivity to contrast material and those avoiding even slight exposure to radiation, such as women who are pregnant or trying to become pregnant. Due to its outstanding safety and comfort, ultrasound is used widely in obstetrics and gynecology, urology, cardiology and cancer detection. At MIT, Ultrasound is the preferred choice for most injections and biopsies because our doctors prefer to keep the patient safe from  radiation emitting machines such as fluoro and CT, which is the guidance preferred by most physicians.