Ultrasound General FAQ

Used machines can cost between 5,000 and 40,000 USD (depending upon the model and brand). Refurbished – The refurbished category is comprised of machines that have been used but refurbished by the manufacturer or supplier.

An ultrasound scan, sometimes called a sonogram, is a procedure that uses high-frequency sound waves to create an image of part of the inside of the body. An ultrasound scan can be used to monitor an unborn baby, diagnose a condition, or guide a surgeon during certain procedures.

In medicine, ultrasound is used to detect changes in the appearance of organs, tissues, and vessels and to detect abnormal masses, such as tumors. In an ultrasound exam, a transducer both sends the sound waves and records the echoing waves.

The average price of ultrasound systems is about $115,000, with low-end systems costing $25,000 and high-end systems hitting upward of $250,000.

There are a lot of reasons why it’s so expensive to see the doctor or stay in a hospital for any amount of time, including administrative costs, multiple treatments, drug costs, and the cost of equipment. Among that high-priced equipment is the ultrasound machines that doctors use to diagnose patients.

Clinical ultrasound machines will require prescriptions or medical license before purchase. Good news is, home ultrasound units can be purchased by by anyone (see US Pro 2000 Home Ultrasound – No prescription required). The best portable ultrasound devices are both affordable and easy to use.

Cell phones, recording, taping or photographing are strictly prohibited during your visit to our office. Because many ultrasounds require a high degree of accuracy, technique and observation, we ask that you limit the number of people that accompany you to your ultrasound visits.

An abdominal ultrasound can help your doctor evaluate the cause of stomach pain or bloating. It can help check for kidney stones, liver disease, tumors and many other conditions. Your doctor may recommend that you have an abdominal ultrasound if you’re at risk of an abdominal aortic aneurysm.

Disadvantages of ultrasonography include the fact this imaging modality is operator and patient dependent, it is unable to image the cystic duct, and it has a decreased sensitivity for common bile duct stones.

Ultrasound images are not as detailed as those from CT or MRI scans. Ultrasound cannot tell whether a tumor is cancer. Its use is also limited in some parts of the body because the sound waves can’t go through air (such as in the lungs) or through bone.

Ultrasound is a valuable tool in the evaluation of skin and soft tissue infections, enhancing our ability to diagnose an abscess cavity or deeper infection and has been shown to be more reliable than clinical exam alone.

These are the typical costs for an ultraound:
Fetal Biophysical Profile Cost Average $350 – $4,200
Head and Neck Ultrasound Cost Average $160 – $1,600
Eye Exam (Ultrasound Echography) Cost Average $210 – $2,000
Chest Ultrasound Cost Average $290 – $2,400
Breast Ultrasound Cost Average $160 – $2,250
Abdominal Ultrasound Cost Average $260 – $1,950
Pelvic Ultrasound Cost Average $220 – $3,200
Hip Ultrasound (Infant) Cost Average $320 – $1,350
Extremity Ultrasound (Nonvascular) Cost Average $260 – $1,300
Head Ultrasound (echo exam) Cost Average $230 – $470
Eye Ultrasound Cost Average $370 – $3,000
Spinal Ultrasound Cost Average $410 – $600
Pregnant Ultrasound Cost Average $270 – $2,400
Ultrasound of Fetus Cost Average $290 – $4,000
Ultrasound of the Uterus Cost Average $220 – $4,100
Bone Ultrasound Cost Average $70 – $900

The images of organs, tissues, blood flow, are produced. The image generated by the ultrasound is called a sonogram. In simple terms, sonography is the technique and ultrasound is the tool. Sonography is done by sonographers using ultrasound devices.

Ultrasound imaging does introduce energy into the body, and laboratory studies have shown that diagnostic levels of ultrasound can produce physical effects in tissue, such as pressure oscillations with subsequent mechanical effects and rise in temperature.