Obstetric Sonography – That’s Entertainment?

Kansas City, MO (PRWEB) November 21, 2004

The established safety power level of diagnostic ultrasound is less than 100 mW/cm2. Sonographers certified by the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS) are educated to respect the power of diagnostic ultrasound and utilized the ALARA (as low as reasonably achievable) principal, as specified by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine. The first step in addressing the safety issue is to ensure a sonographer holding the ARDMS credential accomplishes the exam.

Dr. Janelle Taylor, assistant professor of anthropology at the University of Washington, who has researched and written about social and cultural dimensions of obstetric sonography, was quoted, “Given the way obstetric ultrasound is actually practiced in the U.S. today, you just can’t get away from the entertainment/baby picture aspect of the technology in medical practice, any more than you can get away from its medical/diagnostic aspect in entertainment ultrasound.” The Medical University of Lubeck, Germany noted a merger of the scientific portion of the sonogram with the emotional element. They found the patient and significant other expect the sonogram and sonographer/sonologist to provide them with detailed information about the health of their baby.

Burlbaw feels the solution to the question of the appropriateness of “entertainment” ultrasound as a business is for the Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography in conjunction with the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine to write policies and procedures for nondiagnostic sonography studies. She emphasized that eliminating the importance of the skilled credentialed sonographer from safety statements is inappropriate and should be addressed.

For more information, contact Jeanette Burlbaw at http://www.prenatalimaging.com.

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