Message from Dr. Roshelle Beckwith To Her Patients

Over the last decade I have been examining my patients with bedside ultrasound. It is a hallmark of my clinic, and of my practice overall.

There are pros and cons for using ultrasound.

If I were to only do the conventional patient evaluation with history and physical examination, I would not be able to detect many of the medical conditions which I am able to detect quite easily with ultrasound.

With ultrasound I can instantly see masses, cysts, stones, and nodules that otherwise cannot be detected by a conventional exam. I can see contractions of the heart, the functioning of the gastrointestinal and urinary tracts, as well as blood vessels and the blood clots which sometimes form inside them.

I call ultrasound my "third eye".

Ultrasound is a very safe and inexpensive way to look inside the body:

1. There is no radiation exposure (as one gets from X-ray).
2. No exposure to germs (as one can get from taking blood samples).
3. It costs much less than a CT scan or an MRI.
4. And it is quick.

Abnormalities Seen on Ultrasound:

• The most common finding on ultrasound is fatty liver
• The second most common finding are thyroid nodules
• Breast cysts
• Ovarian cysts
• Uterine fibroids
• Prostate calcifications
• Prostate enlargement
• Kidney cysts
• Kidney stones
• Gallstones
• Cancer

Disadvantages of ultrasound performed during a regular doctor visit:

• Some find the cold gel placed against the skin during the procedure unpleasant.
• Some would prefer not to know if anything is wrong with them.
• An ultrasound performed during a routine doctor visit raises the price of the doctor visit.
• The time for the doctor visit is extended.

The advantages of bedside ultrasound far outweigh the disadvantages.

It is a pleasure to provide this added diagnostic modality to my patients, as a way to optimize their health care.