OSF Little Company of Mary Medical Center

Evergreen Park, Illinois

Ultrasound Imaging Services

Ultrasound is an imaging modality that utilizes sound waves to produce images of various organs, body parts and vessels, as well as the growing fetus.  Ultrasound is typically painless and aids in the diagnosis of medical conditions.

OSF Little Company of Mary offers abdominal, small parts, vascular, pediatric, pelvic and OB ultrasound examinations. We offer the latest advancements in ultrasound including three- and four- dimensional (3D and 4D) imaging.

Our ultrasound services are provided by highly skilled, compassionate technologists under the direction of a radiologist, a physician specifically trained to supervise and interpret ultrasound results. Patient privacy and comfort are the ultimate goal of our technologists.

Upon completion of your ultrasound exam, your images will be reviewed and interpreted by a radiologist who will forward an official report to your physician, usually within 24 hours.

What to Expect During Your Ultrasound

What is Vascular Ultrasound?

Ultrasound imaging, or sonography, uses high-frequency sound waves to produce pictures of the inside of the body.  Although this type of imaging is often found in Radiology or Diagnostic Imaging, this type of imaging does not use radiation or X-rays.  Because ultrasound images are captured in real-time, they can show the structure and movement of the body's internal organs, as well as blood flowing through blood vessels.

Ultrasound imaging is usually a painless medical test that helps physicians diagnose and treat medical conditions such as cardiovascular disease by looking at the body veins and arteries.

A Doppler ultrasound study may be part of a vascular ultrasound examination.  This type of test is a special ultrasound technique that evaluates blood as it flows through a blood vessel, including the body's major arteries and veins in the abdomen, arms, legs and neck.

What are some common uses of the procedure?

Sonography is a useful way of evaluating the body's circulatory system. 

Vascular ultrasound is performed to:

  • help monitor the blood flow to organs and tissues throughout the body.
  • locate and identify blockages and abnormalities like blood clots, helping your doctor plan for effective treatment.
  • determine whether a patient is a good candidate for a procedure such as  angioplasty, a procedure that opens up a blocked artery, increasing blood flow.
  • a plan to evaluate the success of a surgical procedures that bypass blood vessels. 

Doppler ultrasound images can help the physician to see and evaluate:

  • blockages to blood flow (such as clots)
  • narrowing of vessels

  • tumors and congenital malformations

Schedule an Appointment

Please call (708) 499-8550 to schedule an appointment.