If you are interested in getting a sonography degree, let us brief you on what a sonographer/ultrasound technician does.  Why the two different words referring to this profession you might as yourself.  The individuals who used to be referred to as ultrasound technicians are now more commonly referred to as sonographers.  Sonographers play an important role in the field of medical imaging. They work with high-tech equipment that uses high frequency sound waves to detect and show a view of various internal body parts impossible to view any other way. Ultrasounds are also referred to as sonograms.

Most people hear the terms “ultrasound” or “sonogram” and immediately envision a pregnant woman lying on a table.  Maybe you also imagine the sonographer (you) scanning her belly with a wand to see images of the developing fetus of a baby. However, there are many other specializations that a sonographer can specialize in aside from the field of obstetrics. An example of another way an ultrasound can be used would be to obtain an image of almost any body part, aside from the intestines because an X-ray is required for that kind of testing. The abdomen could be scanned by a sonographer if a doctor is looking for potential gall stones or maybe a tumor. The carotid arteries might be scanned to look for plaque.  The leg veins may require an ultrasound to look for a blood clot. A Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at a hospital, where they image premature infants, may be called in to perform a scan.

Lets address all the different terms people use while referring to these professionals. “Ultrasound Technicians”, “Ultrasound Techs”, or “Ultrasound Technologists”, there have pushed, over the past ten years, to implement a more formal title of “Sonographer”. The terms are still considered interchangeable; although “sonographer” is the considered the more politically correct/respected the more preferred term. The formal title is Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer (commonly referred to as RDMS) for people who are certified to work in this field. The actual scan or image these professionals obtain can be referred to as either an “ultrasound” or a “sonogram”.