Ultrasound is a simple diagnostic test WITHOUT RADIATION therefore repeated at will. It is totally painless for the child and the only fear can do to respond and not working.
The machine emits sounds that are reflected differently by each organ of our body so that the reflection to create an image displayed on the screen of the machine. The image quality is very high and relatively rare today needs to become more complex tests such as CT or MRI.
The ultrasound studies all organs of the abdomen.
In our specialty studies the genitourinary organs such as kidneys, the ureters, urinary bladder, testes and epididymes.
Ultrasound replaced at a great rate in urology the intravenus pyelogram, which until 20 years ago was made many times in a child who brought a obstruction of the urinary tract. The intravenus pyelogram which exposes some radiation is now done preoperatively usually when the child requiring surgery for a serous problem and want to have more detailed anatomical information.
Ultrasound also brought revolution in pediatric urology when it began systematically studying the fetus of pregnant women. Most congenital anatomical problems of the urinary tract are now diagnosed before birth with ultrasound (see prenatal diagnosis in our site).
Especially for the scans of young children, the machine must have a special small head broadcast sounds (probe) that fit harmoniously within their small body.
IN OUR OFFICE
In my practice I run all the scans of the urinary tract of children. Studied in particular the kidneys, the ureters, bladder etc.
For this reason I had special education in the radiology clinic of the University of Besancon France and I received special permission from the Greek Ministry of Health published in the Official Gazette (License Number Ultrasonic Execution : 3966 / 12.15.1994).
Good parents are bringing in the office young children fed, so that they are quiet in the examination. Older children should be prepared by parents with a short story for example that we are going to do photos in our belly. They explain that there will be a small camera resting on the belly without any physical pain and produces nice pictures, which you get at home. It will also play the game where the doctor will try to find what we eat and what we drink! So with a few exceptions to consider progressing smoothly like a toy and children gladly want to come back to the office, where there are no injections, vaccines and other nasty.