An ultrasound works by using a transducer that produces and receives silent, high-frequency sound waves. The transducer is usually a hand-held instrument that is placed against the body and slowly passes over the area to be examined. Sound waves pass through the skin into the body.
As the waves strike against various organs, they send echoes back to the transducer. The echoes are changed into electrical energy by the transducer. The energy shows up as images on a display screen. Films of the images are then taken for further study and interpretation.
