By Rodrigo Diaz Guerrero
After many years of clinical exploration through the study of acoustics and percussion, great medical advances have been made since ultrasound machines were introduced as a diagnostic tool in 1942 by the Austrian neurologist and psychiatrist Karl Dussik who originally began using them for the investigation of brain abnormalities.
Derived from these studies, today we can count ultrasound as one of the most popular medical technologies which is used to visualize the internal organs of the human body. Its use is essential in various branches of medicine and an essential element in the timely detection and diagnosis of multiple conditions providing safety to patients—since they are non-invasive studies—and enabling better treatments in health centers. Since April is the month in which efforts are focused on childhood diseases for the medical community, we will talk about two conditions in which ultrasound can make a big difference in terms of health: cryptorchidism and hip dysplasia.
Cryptorchidism is a condition in which a newborn’s testicles do not descend into their correct position in the scrotum. In Mexico, an incidence of cryptorchidism of 2% to 4% of children born each year is reported. Although it is not a serious condition, it can cause complications such as infertility, testicular cancer, and problems with sexual development. Therefore, it is important that parents watch for symptoms and take their children to a pediatrician for a complete physical examination and determination of the appropriate course of treatment.
For its part, hip dysplasia in neonates is a condition in which the hip joint does not form correctly. This can cause problems in the development of the bone, musculature, and cartilage of the hip and can lead to pain and difficulty walking as the child grows. An estimated 1 in 1,000 children present with the condition at birth, and it is more common in girls than boys. Symptoms may include a leg that slips to the side or back or a joint that appears to be loose or out of joint. Early treatment can help correct the condition and improve the infant’s prognosis, so a complete physical examination is recommended during the neonatal period and regular visits to the pediatrician to ensure that all development is occurring normally.
Ultrasound has become an effective tool in the timely detection of cryptorchidism and hip dysplasia offering some advantages for the detection of these conditions: it does not require ionizing radiation which makes it safe for the patient—even in newborns; it is a quick and easy procedure to perform which allows a precise evaluation of the scrotum and hip without causing discomfort to the newborn. It also helps provide more accurate information about the condition by being more accurate than a physical assessment—in the detection of hip dysplasia in neonates it can help avoid unnecessary tests or surgeries among other benefits.
