Literature Studies on Therapeutic Ultrasound
Sonography is a popular diagnostic method because of two main characteristics: non-invasiveness and safety. It has become the most important diagnostic tool used in prenatal care because it can be used on mothers and fetuses without serious repercussions. In the past ten years, sonography has gone beyond diagnostics and with studies done on therapeutic sonography. There are positive and negative outcomes and a literature study on these outcomes has shown just how far therapeutic sonography can go in terms of actual medical management.
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Systemic literature review
Because of the important of new therapeutic modalities in sonography for a variety of conditions, literature reviews on previous studies will further cement sonography niche in therapeutic management of disease. Studying therapeutic sonography will be able to ensure that patients are receiving safe and effective therapy for their disease – making it possible to reproduce the technique used in other parts of the country.
Online ultrasound technician schools and other accredited schools in the US include sonography research as a major subject included in the ultrasound program. Sonographers who graduate from these accredited institutions are prepared to go into research as a career option, to further study what else ultrasound can offer beyond diagnostics.
Concerns regarding therapeutic efficacy
With more and more physicians recommending therapeutic ultrasound (US) for medical management, concerns have been raised regarding its effectiveness, being such a new method. Despite standards being set in place by health care facilities that use US, it is normal for the public to become concerned, as well as interested, in the new therapeutic method. Different factors come into play when it comes to using US, particularly regarding the manipulation of sound waves and actual equipment.
Scope of the literature review
The review had a range of studies on US as early as January 1973 up to present day. The MEDLINE, CINAHL, AMEN, EMBASE, and Scorpus databases were included in the review. After searching the mentioned databases, with a set of search terms used in each database, 47 studies on US were found. A total of 18 studies were included in the final review after removing duplicates and unsuitable studies
While most of the studies showed very positive results regarding US, a major factor was come into light: inaccuracy. Over two-thirds of the studies showed that the equipment itself was flawed because of inaccurate power output and timing. While the results of the studies were very clear, the inaccuracy of the power output and timing of the machines placed said results into question.
Technical issues
Understandably, because of budget constraints, manipulation of the sonogram itself can be very difficult for pilot studies on US. While there are no problems regarding the technique used in the studies, having inaccuracies in the machines can put the results questionable at most. It is important that these issues be addressed to make US safe and effective for mass consumption in health care.
Because of the important of new therapeutic modalities in sonography for a variety of conditions, literature reviews on previous studies will further cement sonography niche in therapeutic management of disease. Studying therapeutic sonography will be able to ensure that patients are receiving safe and effective therapy for their disease – making it possible to reproduce the technique used in other parts of the country.
Online ultrasound technician schools and other accredited schools in the US include sonography research as a major subject included in the ultrasound program. Sonographers who graduate from these accredited institutions are prepared to go into research as a career option, to further study what else ultrasound can offer beyond diagnostics.
Concerns regarding therapeutic efficacy
With more and more physicians recommending therapeutic ultrasound (US) for medical management, concerns have been raised regarding its effectiveness, being such a new method. Despite standards being set in place by health care facilities that use US, it is normal for the public to become concerned, as well as interested, in the new therapeutic method. Different factors come into play when it comes to using US, particularly regarding the manipulation of sound waves and actual equipment.
Scope of the literature review
The review had a range of studies on US as early as January 1973 up to present day. The MEDLINE, CINAHL, AMEN, EMBASE, and Scorpus databases were included in the review. After searching the mentioned databases, with a set of search terms used in each database, 47 studies on US were found. A total of 18 studies were included in the final review after removing duplicates and unsuitable studies
While most of the studies showed very positive results regarding US, a major factor was come into light: inaccuracy. Over two-thirds of the studies showed that the equipment itself was flawed because of inaccurate power output and timing. While the results of the studies were very clear, the inaccuracy of the power output and timing of the machines placed said results into question.
Technical issues
Understandably, because of budget constraints, manipulation of the sonogram itself can be very difficult for pilot studies on US. While there are no problems regarding the technique used in the studies, having inaccuracies in the machines can put the results questionable at most. It is important that these issues be addressed to make US safe and effective for mass consumption in health care.