OnCo
technologiesTechnologyStandard of care

Ultrasound

Ultrasound uses sound waves to make live pictures; it is cheap, safe, and used to guide needles into lumps.

First-line for breast lumps, thyroid nodules, liver, and lymph nodes; guides most biopsies. Endoscopic ultrasound stages pancreatic, oesophageal, and rectal cancer. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound and elastography add characterisation. Operator-dependent.

Schematic · not to scale
Transducer · Echo from lesion · Biopsy needle guidance

How it works

Pulse-echo of high-frequency sound; reflection at tissue interfaces builds the image. Doppler shows blood flow.

Strengths
  • Real-time, portable, no radiation
  • Ideal biopsy guidance
Limitations
  • Operator dependent
  • Cannot see through bone or air

Latest papers

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Literature trend7,093 papers in the last 12 months-2% vs prior 12How this is computed
Latest papers · live from Europe PMC
Open in Europe PMC

Query for this technology: (TITLE:"ultrasound" OR ABSTRACT:"ultrasound" OR TITLE:"endoscopic ultrasound" OR ABSTRACT:"endoscopic ultrasound") AND (cancer OR tumor OR tumour OR oncology OR carcinoma OR lymphoma OR leukemia OR leukaemia OR myeloma OR sarcoma OR melanoma OR glioma) AND (diagnosis OR biopsy OR screening). Results are unfiltered search hits about Ultrasound, not a curated reading list.

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