What Is Sonography and the Different Specialties Within the Field?

If you're interested in a career in healthcare that doesn't require years upon years of formal education, it may be time to consider a career in sonography. At Nebraska Methodist College (NMC), our Multispecialty Sonography associate degree prepares students for a wide range of roles in this rewarding field. The best part? When you enroll full-time, you can complete your degree in as little as 21 months.

With a better understanding of sonography as a career and the many different specialties you could pursue, you can determine whether this path may be right for you.

Understanding Sonography

What is sonography, how does it work, and what are its applications in healthcare? Let's start with the basics.

What Is Sonography?

So, what is sonography, exactly? According to the Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (SDMS), "sonography is a diagnostic medical procedure that uses high frequency sound waves to produce dynamic visual images of organs, tissues, or blood flow inside the body."

Using a transducer or probe placed directly on the skin, sonographers can generate images as sound waves enter the body and echo back. These images can then be passed along to specialists (including doctors and physicians) for interpretation.

Importance of Sonography in Healthcare

There are many potential applications of sonography in healthcare. One of the most common uses of sonography is to capture images of a fetus during pregnancy, which can help doctors determine whether a baby is growing and developing as it should.

In other cases, sonography may be used for early disease detection and the diagnosis of certain medical conditions. Sometimes, surgeons will also use sonography to guide procedures, as may be the case with a biopsy or other minimally invasive procedure.

Because sonography itself is non-invasive and doesn't use radiation, it's a preferred method for capturing images of internal structures.

Different Specialties in Sonography

Sonographers can explore a wide range of specialties within the field, depending on where their specific interests and skills lie. Which sounds the most intriguing to you?

Obstetric and Gynecologic Sonography

This type of sonography is used primarily for imaging in pregnancy and fetal development. Sonograms may be ordered at various points within a pregnancy to determine viability, measure fetal growth, and check for potential complications or signs of medical conditions.

In addition to its use in pregnant women, vaginal and transabdominal sonography may also be used to assess female reproductive health. Specifically, this type of imaging can be used to diagnose common conditions like polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), uterine fibroids, and endometriosis.

Abdominal Sonography

Meanwhile, abdominal sonography may be used to examine internal organs, including the following:

• Liver
• Kidneys
• Pancreas
• Gallbladder

In addition to assessing the organs themselves, abdominal sonography can be used to evaluate blood flow to and from the organs and identify signs of common medical conditions, such as:

• Gallstones
• Tumors
• Liver disease

Vascular Sonography

Another common application for sonography is to examine the blood flow within the body's arteries and veins, which can aid in the diagnosis of certain vascular diseases (like aneurysms and blood clots). More specifically, this type of sonography takes a detailed look at how blood moves throughout the body to help doctors pinpoint narrowed arteries, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), and poor circulation.

Cardiac Sonography (Echocardiography)

Cardiac sonography makes it possible to take a closer look at the heart and its structures (including chambers and valves) to assess its overall health and function. Also known as an echocardiogram, a cardiac ultrasound is a non-invasive and reliable way for doctors to detect such heart conditions and disorders as:

• Valvular disease
• Pericardial disease
• Congenital heart defects

Musculoskeletal Sonography (MSK)

Using musculoskeletal sonography, healthcare professionals can safely and non-invasively assess the body's tendons, muscles, ligaments, and joints. The images from these sonograms can aid specialists in the diagnosis of common injuries and related medical conditions, such as:

• Achilles tendon tears
• Muscle strains and sprains
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Hernias
• Nerve entrapments

This type of imaging is especially common in sports medicine. However, it can be used in just about any situation where a tendon, muscle, or joint injury is suspected.

Neurosonography

Another specialized area of sonography is neurosonography, which involves capturing images of the brain and the nervous system. This specific type of sonography is most often used to diagnose brain abnormalities and similar conditions, such as:

• Central nervous system disorders (including spinal stenosis and multiple sclerosis)
• Congenital defects in fetuses and young children
• Intracranial hemorrhage
• Stroke
• Hydrocephalus, or excessive accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain

Education and Training for Sonographers

With so many potential career paths to choose from, you may now be wondering what steps you'll need to follow to break into this field.

Educational Pathways

No matter which area of sonography you're most interested in, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) maintains that diagnostic medical sonographers generally need a minimum of an associate degree to enter the field. Regardless of whether you pursue an associate's or bachelor's degree in the field, it is critical to choose an accredited program that meets or exceeds certain quality standards for education.

Certifications and Licensure

Generally, formal sonography degree programs will not automatically result in your certification or licensure. Instead, these programs may be designed to help you prepare for these designations, although each individual state sets certification and Licensure requirements for sonographers. With this in mind, you'll want to research the specific requirements for your state before moving forward.

Many employers will prefer to hire sonographers who are certified by a reputable organization, such as the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS). However, Depending on your specialization area, you may want to pursue additional certifications as well.

Skills and Competencies for Sonographers

If you want to succeed as a sonographer, you'll need to develop a strong set of technical and soft skills. This includes proficiency in setting up, maintaining, and operating sonography equipment to ensure the highest quality images possible. Capturing quality images requires not only solid hand-eye coordination, but also an understanding of how to position patients for the best results.

Soft skills are also important when working with patients and other healthcare professionals. Strong verbal and written communication and a keen eye for detail will serve you well in this line of work.

Career Opportunities in Sonography

Sonographers can find themselves working in a wide range of settings depending on their unique skill sets and interests.

Work Settings

Most often, sonographers are employed full-time in hospitals and smaller healthcare clinics. However, it is not uncommon for outpatient imaging centers and even private practices to keep sonographers on their staff. Some of these roles may involve working "traditional" hours, but hospitals and other facilities open around the clock may require sonographers to work nights or weekends.

Salary and Job Outlook

The median annual pay for a diagnostic medical sonographer in 2023 was $80,850 or $38.87 per hour. Across the country, the demand for knowledgeable and skilled sonographers continues to grow. In fact, the BLS projects an 11 percent increase in growth from 2023 to 2033, which is much faster than the national average for all occupations.

Advantages and Challenges in Sonography

As with any role in the healthcare field, working in sonography has its advantages and potential drawbacks.

Advantages

One of the biggest benefits of working in sonography is the sense of stability that comes along with it, especially as the demand for skilled workers continues to increase. Similarly, this field offers plenty of unique opportunities for specialization and career advancement, so there are always new skills to learn and ways to differentiate yourself.

Challenges

Of course, working in sonography can come with some inherent challenges, beginning with the physically demanding nature of the job itself. Sonographers often spend the majority of their shifts on their feet and working with complicated equipment, which can be physically draining. This may be especially true for sonographers working in busy hospitals or those working with sick and disabled patients who may need help positioning themselves for imaging.

Meanwhile, because the field is constantly changing and evolving, sonographers are under a fair amount of pressure to stay on top of the latest advancements to remain competitive and relevant. This pressure can create some unwanted stress.

Discover More in a Sonography Degree Program

Whether you're interested in obstetric sonography, vascular sonography, neurosonography, or any other subset of the field, a formal education is always the best bet for kickstarting your career. At NMC, our Multispecialty Sonography Associate Degree offers the hands-on experience students need to pursue their interests while building foundational skills and knowledge. This program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs to ensure high standards.

Ready to take the next step? Apply now or get in touch to learn more about any of the degree programs NMC has to offer.