ultrasound

ul·tra·sound

noun \ˈəl-trə-ˌsau̇nd\

Definition of ULTRASOUND

1

: vibrations of the same physical nature as sound but with frequencies above the range of human hearing

2

: the diagnostic or therapeutic use of ultrasound and especially a noninvasive technique involving the formation of a two-dimensional image used for the examination and measurement of internal body structures and the detection of bodily abnormalities —called also sonography

3

: a diagnostic examination using ultrasound

Examples of ULTRASOUND

1. They used ultrasound to examine his heart.
2. She had an ultrasound exam this morning.
3. She had an ultrasound this morning.
4. She showed me an ultrasound of her unborn baby.

First Known Use of ULTRASOUND

1923

Rhymes with ULTRASOUND

aboveground, Afghan hound, all-around, battleground, been around, belowground, bottom round, breeding ground, bring around, cast around, common ground, decompound, dumping ground, end around, fool around, get around, go around, hang around, horse around, in the round, jerk around, kick around, mess around, middle ground, muscle-bound, Norton Sound, off the ground, on background, on the ground, outward-bound, paperbound, perfect-bound, proving ground, push around, quarter-bound, runaround, screw around, shootaround, sleep around, spiral-bound, staging ground, stand one's ground, steamship round, stick around, stomping ground, surround sound, turnaround, turn around, underground, weather-bound, work-around, wraparound

ultrasound

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Use of ultrasonic waves to produce images of body structures. The waves travel through tissues and are reflected back where density differs (e.g., the border between a hollow organ's wall and its inside). The reflected echoes are received by an electronic apparatus that measures their intensity level and the position of the tissue reflecting them. The results can be displayed as still images or as a moving picture of the inside of the body. Unlike X-rays or other ionizing radiation, ultrasound carries minimal, if any, risk. Most often used during pregnancy to examine the fetus, ultrasound imaging is also used on internal organs and on the eye, breast, and major blood vessels. It can often show whether a growth is benign or malignant. See also diagnostic imaging.

Variants of ULTRASOUND

ultrasound or ultrasonography