Ultrasound vs Sonogram: What’s the Difference?
Ultrasounds and Sonograms and Echocardiograms, oh my! There are so many different names for procedures that are pretty similar. The various terms can be confusing, so today, we will simplify things for you. Here’s a quick guide to what each term means, and how they all fit under the Diagnostic Medical Sonography umbrella.
Glossary
Sonography
Sonography is the technique of using high-frequency sound waves to produce images of internal body structures.
Our Diagnostic Medical Sonography (DMS) program teaches you the skills needed to become a sonographer, the person who performs and reads these images.
Ultrasounds
The “high-frequency sound waves” we mentioned are also known as (you guessed it) ultrasound! This term is often used with two meanings: ultrasounds are the tests performed by sonographers, as well as the type of machine they perform tests with.
In other words, a sonographer uses an ultrasound machine to conduct an ultrasound. Sometimes, sonographers are also called ultrasound technologists.
Sonograms
A sonogram is the image that results from the ultrasound. As an example, think of pregnancy.
A sonographer performs an ultrasound to see the health of your soon-to-be-born child. When it’s done, you get a printed-out photo from the scan. That photo is the sonogram.
Echocardiograms
An echocardiogram, or “echo,” is a specific type of ultrasound that targets the heart. Echos generally show you a detailed picture of the heart’s structure and can help with diagnosing specific conditions. A sonographer can also read and perform an initial assessment of an echo.
An echo is not the same thing as an electrocardiogram, or an EKG. EKGs uses wiring to monitor a heart’s activity. They are conducted by nurses and medical assistants, but the results are read by a doctor. An EKG prints out a reading of the heart’s activity from above, whereas the image from an echo gives an imaged view of the heart itself.
In other words, an EKG is about the surface level, while an echo dives deeper.
Key Ultrasound Terminology to Know
With so many different diagnostics using ultrasound, there are also a ton of other terminology you occasionally hear. A few in particular:
- Doppler: A type of ultrasound that produces sounds in blood vessels to check for blockages or blood clots.
- Color Flow: Blood flow on an ultrasound shows up red (in arteries) and blue (veins), and sonographers will often describe the movement of blood as “color flow” as a result.
- OB: Obstetric ultrasound, used to determine condition of pregnant women
- 3D Sonogram: Provides a static image of whatever is being scanned with more detail and depth than some traditional sonograms.
- 4D Sonogram: A recording of a moving 3D ultrasound
Thinking about starting your healthcare career?
Request InfoUltrasound or Sonogram: Which One Do You Need?
If you get one, you can get both.
If you’re going to a doctor’s office to get a scan of an internal organ, then a sonographer will use a machine to conduct an ultrasound, producing an image you can take home called a sonogram. It’s one test with many names.
Who Can Become a Sonographer?
You can! Our recently launched DMS program can prepare you to take on one of top ten jobs in the healthcare industry while making over $90,000 a year in salary.
We’re currently accepting applications, and we want to hear from you. You can email us at inquirt@swedishinstitute.edu or text us at (917) 336-3570 to learn more.
