© Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography, 2017

Diagnostic medical sonography is a sound career decision.

Would you enjoy using high-tech equipment to capture images from inside the human body? Would you like to work as a valued member of a health care team?
If so, we’d like to tell you about a career in diagnostic medical sonography. It’s a dynamic profession that has grown significantly over the past 20 years.

Sonography is a medical procedure that uses high frequency sound waves to produce dynamic, visual images of organs, tissues, or blood flow inside the body. This type of procedure produces a sonogram. A sonogram can be used to examine many parts of the body, such as the abdomen, breasts, female reproductive system, heart, and blood vessels.

While sonography is often associated with the use of ultrasound imaging during pregnancy, this technology has many other uses in the diagnosis and treatment of medical conditions.

Abdominal sonography is the evaluation of all the soft tissues, blood vessels, and organs of the abdomen.

Breast sonography is frequently used to evaluate breast lumps and other abnormalities that are found with screening or mammography.

Obstetrical and gynecological sonography is the evaluation of the developing fetus and the female reproductive system.

Cardiac sonography is the evaluation of the anatomy and function of the heart and related blood vessels. Vascular sonography is the evaluation of the blood flow of the peripheral and abdominal blood vessels.

Neurosonology is the evaluation of the brain and spinal cord in infants.

How Does It Work?

A small device called a transducer is placed against the patient’s skin near the area to be imaged. The transducer works like a loudspeaker and microphone because it can transmit and receive sound.

The transducer sends high-frequency sound waves into the body. The transducer then detects the sound waves as they bounce off the internal structures. Different structures in the body reflect these sound waves differently.

These sounds are then analyzed by a computer to make an image of the structure on a computer screen. These images are then recorded electronically. Unlike x-rays, sonography does not use ionizing radiation.

The professionals who perform these procedures are known as sonographers. Sonographers can choose to work in clinics, hospitals, private practice physician offices, and other medical settings. With rapidly changing computer enhanced technologies and the increased use of diagnostic medical sonography, the growth of sonography is projected to continue in the future.

The Diagnostic Medical Sonography program at Hunter consist of both classroom and clinical training. Once the sonography educational program is completed, the sonographer will take a national credentialing exam before beginning a career in diagnostic medical sonography.

In addition to excellent career opportunities, salaries for sonographers are very competitive. There are opportunities for both full-time and part-time employment in both urban and rural areas.

So when considering your future, make a sound career decision.

To find out more about Hunter’s Diagnostic Medical Sonography program, go to the Diagnostic Medical Sonography program page.