Modern medicine has scores of wondrous inventions within its boundaries, but one of the most overlooked is the ultrasound. The reason it’s so commonly overlooked in most people’s minds may be that it’s simply so common. In fact, no other diagnostic tool is used more frequently than diagnostic medical sonography. It also has a very interesting history and a bright future. Here’s a look at sonography through the ages.
History
The history of medical sonography has been placed in numerous areas, but most agree that it really began with John Wild, who used sonography to measure the thickness of the human bowel in or around 1949. It really took off thanks to a pair of Swedish doctors who used it to measure heart activity then published their paper in 1954. A 1958 paper from a group of Scottish professionals finally served to really push ultrasound forward and by 1964 it was a commonly used procedure in most hospitals.
Present
Presently, ultrasounds are used in nearly every branch of medicine. They locate heart defects, measure the velocity of blood flow, track the development of unborn children, and much more. But diagnostic medical sonography is only the beginning since numerous ultrasound machines are used for therapeutic measures as well, such as cleaning teeth and blasting apart tumors or kidney stones. Modern advances have also led to 3D images that can create extremely detailed looks at unborn children, organs, and more.
Future
The future of ultrasound is bright and the procedure will likely continue to be used indefinitely, albeit with numerous advances. Already, 3D ultrasounds are becoming more prevalent and will likely continue to do so. As technology marches forward the odds are good that all equipment related to sonography will shrink as well. Handheld or very portable machines are on the horizon and the size of transducer probes that need to be used for certain procedures will shrink as well. There is also a strong likelihood that advanced ultrasound equipment will allow doctors to actually wear the device so that they can look inside you as they operate through minimally invasive procedures through a system resembling virtual reality.
With a long and rich history and its current status as a vital part of modern medicine, diagnostic medical sonography has already earned its place as one of the most important developments to ever enter the medical field. And the future will likely see it continue to drive medical progress forward.
