Medical Ultrasound Report: Sonographer Roles, Medicare, and Radiation

This report provides a detailed analysis of medical ultrasound, focusing on the essential characteristics and skills required of a sonographer, including compassion, interpersonal skills, detail orientation, technical abilities, and dedication to learning. It examines the role of sonographers in diagnostic imaging, emphasizing the importance of accurate reporting and the limitations faced. The report further explores the use of electromagnetic radiation in medical imaging, differentiating between ionizing and non-ionizing radiation and discussing the safety of ultrasound compared to CT scans. It also delves into the Australian Medicare system, outlining its policies, including the Medicare Levy and the Medicare Benefits Schedule, and their impact on healthcare access and affordability. The report concludes by emphasizing the importance of appropriate training and knowledge for sonographers to ensure accurate diagnoses and patient safety.

Running head: MEDICAL ULTRASOUND
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Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author note:

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Question 1:
In a healthcare profession a sonographer is considered as a specialist who
can use ultrasound imaging devices in order to deliver diagnostic scans, videos
and images (1). Some of the important characteristics including skills, qualities and
personal traits are required by an individual to be a trained sonographer which
includes the following (2):
1. Compassion- It is defined as a characteristic were an individual can
effectively sympathize with others and is able to recognize the suffering or
feelings of the patient. Sonographers communicate with the patients on a
regular basis to learn about their illness and lives. Compassionate
sonographers can easily offer support and comfort to the patients.
2. Interpersonal Skills- Any healthcare operator cannot avoid patient
interaction hence, interpersonal skills is a major characteristic that a
sonographer must bear so that they can easily communicate with patients
and maintain professionalism. The sonographer must develop a two-way
path for communication to make the patients feel comfortable and at ease
with effective quantity of conversation (2).
3. Detail oriented- The diagnostic images generated by sound produces black
and white image, which should be analysed by the sonographer easily.
Considerable amount of ability to determine images is required by the
sonographer that they learn during their job but detail coordination is a vital
characteristic that a sonographer must have to be a trained sonographer.
4. Eye-hand coordination and technical skills- The procedure of sonography
requires an excellent technical skills as the sonographer has to handle the
diagnostic tool with an excellent hand-eye coordination that can allow them
to detect the problem easily in the patient (3).
5. Dedicated learner- The process of sonography requires long-term
dedication and patience as the sonographer has to learn various
parameters to be a trained professional. The ability to enhance their hand-
eye coordination, compassion and interpersonal skills requires dedication
and time. Hence it is an important trait that a sonographer must have (4).
I being a trained sonographers do agree that the above characteristic and
behaviours are required to be a skilled and professional sonographs. I am
confident with my interpersonal and compassion skill. As I can effectively
communicate with the patient and help them to understand the issue and further

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can also patiently listen to them and understand their concern. I have an extrovert
nature that helped me a lot to effectively communicate with the patient and make
them understand their health related concern. The two characteristics that I am not
very confident is lack of hand-eye coordination and detail orientation as I am still in
a learning phase and hence require time to excel these traits. The coordination
between hand and eye to perform sonography develops and enhances with time
and as I have just started my work I require time to be confident in this trait and to
understand all the minute detail that is necessary for being an established and
trained sonographers.
Question 2:
Fast-growing developments in knowledge and technology has shifted
ultrasound to a prominent character in clinical management and patient diagnosis.
Ultrasound is used for the diagnosis and prevention of a diversity of disorders.
Nevertheless, the accuracy and safety of ultrasound valuations requires
appropriate training and broad knowledge of the sonographer (5). A sonographer
or non-medical doctor is considered as a healthcare expert who excel in the
practice of ultrasound skill to develop diagnostic images, which will get combined
in various diagnostic procedure to the health doctor to articulate the ultimate
diagnosis. The articulation of various diagnostic process evolves from the
sonographer reporting that is evaluated once the sonographer conducts the
ultrasound. The report established is the key source of communication among the
ultrasound section of the hospital and the responsible clinician. The sonographer
has to fill a template worksheet after they asses the patient as that worksheet will
help the sonographer to establish the report (6). It consists of scientific opinion and
delivers a professional understanding of images that must be precise and update
patient administration. Sonographer reporting includes high level of accuracy as it
is crucial for identification of any problem in patient. The primary role of a
sonographer will be to assess the patient concerning the particulars, which lead to
the ultrasound examination hence, the role of the sonographer is defined as
follows (7):

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 Arranging the patient for Ultrasound check-up
 Choosing the suitable equipment for the examination
 Performing the examination that produce essential diagnostic evidence
 Gathering and recording the data
 Investigating the collected data and analysing the outcomes to the doctor in
either written or oral manner for analysis
 Using autonomous decision regarding the findings and also to determine if
the patient require extension of scope related to ultrasound examination or
not
 Collaborating and interacting with various healthcare providers and doctors
regarding efficient and good quality of care to the patient.
The primary scope of the investigative medical sonographer that they do is to
evaluate novel products and equipment for future use. They also develop novel
procedures for carrying out the ultrasound examinations and assist specialists who
are carrying out an examination in the operating room in order to see organs and
structures, which might be covered from unswerving view hence, an sonographer
reporting involves the sonographer in highlighting the basic procedure of the
examination and filling of the template that will help the specialists to further
understand the patient’s concern. Sonographer reporting is well-defined as the
collection of interpretation and recording of observations done by the sonographer
by conducting an ultrasound inspection (8). The report must be issued and written
by the involved sonographer who is conducting the ultrasound inspection of the
patient and observed as an essential portion of the entire examination. The major
limitation faced by sonographer reporting is as follows: high level of report
inaccuracy, issue in image quality, detection of any abnormal findings that might
hamper the quality of reporting and identification of inappropriate patient
demographic data that will decrease the accuracy of sonographer reporting. The
sonographer do not have to be worried about any medication error as they are not
responsible for issuing any medicine to the patient they just have to conduct an
ultrasound examination and issue the report to the doctor.
Question 3:
In medical imaging the appropriate practice of electromagnetic radioactivity
is vital. By using electromagnetic radiation different imageries of the interior body
configurations are formed and further used to analyse patients suffering from
numerous diseases (9). The continuous flow of energy all over the space is defined

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as electromagnetic radiation and it is formed with change of electron speed . The
numerous types of electromagnetic radiation comprise of x rays, visible light, radio
waves, gamma radiation, ultraviolet light, microwaves and infrared rays.
Figure 1: The Electromagnetic spectrum
The quantity of energy and wavelength transmitted by numerous varieties of
electromagnetic radiation permits the wavelength differentiation that varies from
different wavelength range (10). It also sometimes affects the capability of every
wave to transmit through substances and also through their reheating properties
with the outcome that they might have on numerous living tissue. The
electromagnetic range or spectrum contains two types of radiation namely ionising
radiation and non-ionising radiation.
Figure 2: Forms of radiation
The different types of electromagnetic radiation comprise of long or short
wavelengths where long wavelength are classified under the name of non-ionising

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radiation and shorter wavelengths is categorized as ionising radiation (11). Ionising
emission is hazardous to the living matter and can result in damage as they have
greater quantity of energy that breaks the chemical bonds, which results in certain
chemical changes within the living tissue. On the other hand, non-ionising
radioactivity is considered as much safer due to its lower energy levels that do not
result in any changes of living tissue. As compared to Ct scans, ultrasounds is
considered much safer because ultrasounds uses non-ionizing form of radiation
while Ct scans uses ionizing form of radiation (12). The images produced by to
ultrasound waves use high incidence of sound waves, which are used in order to
generate an image after the waves are redirected.
Transducer is used to convert sound wave into a type of electrical signal
that result in image production. A flow of applied current passes through the
piezoelectric quartz present within the transducer that result in upsurge voltage
speed vibrations, which in turn generate an ultrasound (13). The piezoelectric
quartz can transform electric current in mechanical waves and vice-versa. Over the
amount of time taken including the amplitude and pitch of the corresponding sound
waves produces an image.

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Figure 3: Ultrasound Transducer
As the sound wave moves over the entire body structures resulting in
decrease of intensity and amplitude of the wave and is often defined as
attenuation. In attenuation, absorption is considered as the chief source that
results in transforming sound waves in the heat. There are various kinds of
attenuation such as scatter, reflection and refraction (14).

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Figure 4: Various types of attenuation
CT scans can clearly produce both 2D and 3D images of the overall internal
structure of body and X-rays are involved in this method. These X-rays are projected
numerous times through the entire human body and transmits images from individual
cross section in order to produce the required 3D or 2D image (15). Ionizing radiation
might change the chemical bonds present in human body and can further damage
the DNA that can result in cancer hence, the use of such radiation is considered as
unsafe by the practitioners and the exposure limit should also be monitored
continuously.
Question 4:
In the year of 1984, Medicare was moved out in Australia in order to replace
the earlier Medibank policy which was ended in the year 1981. The Medicare is
Australia’s universal health scheme with chief objectives which are the subsidising of
various healthcare treatments and facilities, medical funds and free health care (16).
The Medicare has a series of policies that ensures a better health care facility which
are as follows:
Medicare Levy
Medicare Levy aims to partially fund Medicare system. It is attained by
indicting taxpayers around 1.5% of the taxable incomes and 1% extra for those who
have income beyond a definite limit and exhibit access to any private healthcare

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insurance. It is known as Medicare Levy Surcharge and planned in order to endorse
reserved health insurance aiming the objective of reducing the stress in public health
organization. Medicare levy compensated by the people is reliable on their total
income that is taxable. It is this taxable income of an individual that is lower at a
certain limit and thus can be released from the medical levy or witness decline but
edge limits for the pensioners and the seniors that is much greater.
The below tabular column outlines people who are eligible or people who are not
eligible for the Medicare levy reduction as per their total income and the age group
they belong to (17).
Table: requirement of payment for the eligibility of the Medicare Levy on individuals
from particular age group and the taxable incomes.
Age group Taxable income Payment
No senior citizen and
pensioners
<$21,335 Payment not required
$21.335-$26,668 Payment required partially
>$26,668 Full payment requirement
Senior citizen and
Pensioners
<$33,738 Payment not required
$33,738-$42,172 Payment partially required
>$42,172 Full payment requirement
Medicare benefits schedule
In Medicare remunerations schedule, the outcome was extracted and stated
that the people who partake Medicare do not need the requirement of paying for
many vital healthcare services. The services are found to involve people who are
provided by the different healthcare professionals which can be general practitioner,
dentists, specialists, imaging services and optometrists and also the public hospitals
and private hospital services. It is stated that if the providers of these healthcare
services approve the payment provided by the Medicare (out of the total fee listed,
85% of the Medicare benefits schedule and only 75% for the private patients) the

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individual will not be charged with any payment and rather the government will be
charged for the services provided, which is also called “bulk-billing” (18).
Medicare safety net
The individual circumstances outcome which might result in a person
obtaining a large amount of the medical cost which the government introduced, the
Medicare Safety Net is found to reduce the charge developed by up surging the total
remunerations on the different health facilities for the coming year. The services is
only relevant after a definite boundary is stretched and only those facilities sketched
in medical remunerations schedule is considered in the direction of the Medicare
Safety Net (19).

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