From the Research
Ultrasound elastography in Lethbridge, Alberta is primarily performed at the Chinook Regional Hospital's Diagnostic Imaging Department and at private medical imaging clinics such as Bigelow Fowler Clinic and Lethbridge Medical Imaging. To access this service, you'll need a referral from your healthcare provider. The procedure is typically covered by Alberta Health Services when medically necessary. Ultrasound elastography is a specialized imaging technique that measures tissue stiffness to help diagnose conditions like liver fibrosis, breast lesions, and thyroid nodules without invasive biopsies 1.
Key Points to Consider
- The procedure is non-invasive, painless, and usually takes 15-30 minutes to complete.
- When scheduling your appointment, you should follow any preparation instructions provided, which may include fasting for several hours before liver elastography.
- For specific scheduling information, contact the imaging department directly or ask your referring physician about current wait times and preparation requirements.
- Ultrasound elastography has shown promising results for non-invasive assessment of liver fibrosis, and new applications in breast, thyroid, prostate, kidney, and lymph node imaging are emerging 1, 2.
- The main advantages of ultrasound elastography include cost-effectiveness, short duration of the study, non-invasive nature of the procedure, as well as a potentially broader clinical availability 3.
Additional Information
- Ultrasound elastography techniques have been widely used to assess muscles and tendons in vitro since the early parts of the twentieth century 3.
- The authors performed a search of the Medline/PubMed databases for original research and reviewed publications on the application of ultrasound elastography for musculoskeletal imaging 3.
- There are no clear guidelines with regard to indications as well as examination techniques, and it is necessary to conduct large, multi-center studies to determine the methodology, indications, and technique of examination 3.