An ultrasound of the adrenal glands is necessary because they regulate many internal processes. The body experiences stress instantly when the work of these organs changes. A person immediately shows fatigue, weakness. Children may have problems with puberty.
Why do research?
Adrenal ultrasound is recommended for people with problems in the nervous system. Doctors prescribe studies for abnormalities in the work of the heart, for complications with blood vessels. The list of complications is wide enough to recommend checking such an important part of the body.
Even a child, doctors recommend immediately conducting an ultrasound of the adrenal glands with periodic disturbances in the digestive tract for no apparent reason. Adults are prescribed for tachycardia or other less noticeable symptoms: constant thirst, uncontrolled obesity.
An ultrasound of the adrenal glands can be done in consultation with the doctor with a constant manifestation of cold sweat. Organs are checked for periodic hand tremors, allergic reactions. With an unpredictable breakdown in women, if everything is accompanied by menstrual failuresloop.
Recommendations for research
Ultrasound of the kidneys and adrenal glands doctors must prescribe if there is a deviation in the readings of the tonometer, when the pressure periodically changes by more than 20%. If the sugar readings are above the normal level, the organs should be checked immediately. It is also advised to visit the diagnostic center with a complete lack of appetite.
Tumor formations are associated with disturbances in the work of the body's cleaning organs. Ultrasound of the kidneys and adrenal glands is performed with their increase, which can be felt by palpation. Before issuing a referral, the doctor probes the area of the peritoneum, asks the patient for the presence of squeezed pain in the back below the shoulder blades.
How to prepare for research?
If an ultrasound of the adrenal glands is prescribed, preparation is carried out 3 days before visiting the diagnostic center. The main goal of the stage is to cleanse the body. It is necessary that there be as little digestion products as possible in the intestines. This prevents fermentation.
Preparation starts with diet. A laxative helps to remove leftover food from the intestines. All flour, sweets, fruits, milk fall under the ban. The presence of gases in the intestine does not give a legible picture in the study.
All alcohol, legumes, strong tea are excluded from the diet, coffee and chocolate are completely removed. The traditional method - an enema - helps in cleaning. They pass standard tests (urine, blood) before an ultrasound of the adrenal glands, which shows the presence of inflammation inbody.
Time
Research should be done in the morning or before 12 noon. The evening before this should pass without eating. From 7 p.m., abstain completely, even if hunger overcomes. On an empty stomach, the study will be cleaner, the picture of the organs is clearer.
A small portion of diet food is allowed for breakfast. But this is only in case of emergency. If scheduled for 11 o'clock, it will be more difficult to endure without food.
If there is absolutely no time, it is recommended to postpone the ultrasound of the adrenal glands. How is the examination done in such cases? It is recommended to take sick leave and go to the doctors in the morning.
Research process
Ultrasound of the adrenal glands for a child and an adult is carried out the same way. The patient lies bare-chested on a couch. In the process of scanning organs, the commands of the he alth worker should be turned: with your back, right and left side.
Clinic specialists may be asked to stand up and perform the procedure in a standing position if obtaining an image is difficult. To improve clarity, a gel is used to increase the slip of the scanning head, which is applied to the place where the scanner is touched. All received data is displayed on the LCD screen.
A medical worker needs to act in a certain sequence in order to correctly interpret the results subsequently. The movement of the scanning head is transverse to the line of the back. When the patient is placed onthe right side is drawn along.
Rolling over to the left side, you need to hold your breath for a while. The whole process of obtaining a picture takes no more than 20 minutes. There is also a longer study, depending on the size of the internal organs and their condition.
It is difficult to make a quick diagnosis in a small child. After all, his organs are small, and the he alth worker has to work hard. It is also difficult to keep the baby in a stationary position, which introduces additional pauses during the ultrasound.
Evaluation of the resulting image
The shape of the organs is examined on ultrasound of the adrenal glands, which shows their condition: enlarged or deformed. Whether there are pathologies, you can see in great detail. The picture is easily enlarged using a computer.
Deciphering the ultrasound of the adrenal glands contains an image of the blood flow, the state of the vessels, their pathology. The location of organs relative to each other is assessed. The size is compared with the kidneys.
The structure of the adrenal glands can also be distinguished in the picture. An experienced doctor has a standard that serves as a comparison. It takes into account the patient's age, height, weight and even gender.
Pathological conditions
The endocrinologist evaluates the result of the ultrasound of the adrenal glands from the picture. The norm is when the shape and structure of organs corresponds to the standard. According to the existing deviations, the presence of a particular pathology is judged. We list only a few of them.
Hyperplasia - in the picture the organ is slightly enlarged, this leads to the growth of the tissues of the adrenal gland. In childrenit is found as a congenital form of pathology. With this disease, puberty fails. In children, hair in intimate areas may begin to grow earlier, a severe allergic reaction occurs.
Tumors and hematomas are clearly visible on the picture. The advantage of ultrasound is that this method reveals cysts with liquid filling. This allows you to perform an operation (puncture) in time to remove the bacterial environment before the rupture of the neoplasm.
Additional examination
A more complete picture of the patient's condition can be obtained through additional research. For this, doctors prescribe the method of computed tomography, which eliminates the possibility of errors due to the small size of the adrenal glands. They can also be sent for resonance imaging.
To this we add tests: urine, blood. A biopsy study is prescribed in rare cases. MRI is able to confirm or refute questionable results of ultrasound of the adrenal glands. Additional studies will be required if a cyst, tumor, or other pathology is detected.
The patient's adipose tissue also interferes with obtaining a clean image. The thicker it is, the greater the likelihood of an erroneous diagnosis by ultrasound. It is difficult to recognize the exact position of the focus of pathology, which also needs to be clarified by other research methods.
Ultrasound can be used as a means to narrow the search for pathology. Then resort to more expensive methods of MRI or computed tomography to accurately determine the position of the problem area. Ultrasoundhowever, it has no contraindications and can be used repeatedly with doubtful results.
Importance of Periodic Checking
The endocrine system often fails for various reasons. But disorders in the work of the adrenal glands are the main reason for the appearance of symptoms such as severe fatigue at the slightest exertion, excessive sweating. In children, pathologies of the adrenal glands with puberty disorders are dangerous.
Patients with organ pathologies suffer from reduced immunity. The purpose of the ultrasound examination is the desire of the doctor to make sure that the adrenal glands are in a normal state. After that, feel free to increase immunity with classic drugs and vitamins.
In the initial stages of the development of the pathology of the adrenal glands, the disease is easily localized without consequences. If you miss this moment, you can no longer save dead tissue. Oncology will undermine the entire body.
How are organs arranged?
The adrenal glands are located right on top of the kidneys. They have a cortical substance responsible for all metabolic processes. It is here that cells produce substances necessary for the life of the body. The latter are responsible for the movement and breakdown of proteins, minerals.
Still physiologically active substances are called adrenal hormones. Their concentration in the body should not decrease. They directly affect the appearance of a person, obesity is the result of a malfunction of important organs. If an adult and he althy man suddenly has a weak potency, then it is worth checking the adrenal glands.
Periodic decline in immunity can alsobe disorders in the work of the adrenal glands. Recently, on modern models, thanks to new devices and software, a 3D model of internal organs is immediately formed. In this form, it is easier for a doctor to diagnose and measure organs.
In many ways, the quality of life directly depends on the work of the adrenal glands. Endocrinologists recommend visiting the ultrasound center periodically. It can greatly improve and even extend life.