4d and 3d scans - baby ultrasound.co.uk
The method know as 3d ultrasound scanning is used during early pregnancy, providing 3 d pictures of the fetus. Most of the time the ultrasound pictures are rapidly captured and joined together and animated to created a 4d scan.
Three dimensional scanning works in the same way to the normal ultrasound scanning methods except that the ultrasound scanning pulses are directed from multiple directions. The ultrasound pulses can be redirected back then captured to provide information to construct a 3d picture in much the same way as 3d movies. 3 dimesional ultasound scanning was first developed by olaf von ramm and stephen smith in america.
It is important to understand that sonologists all over the world have always pictured three-dimensional images of anatomy or pathology in their minds while doing their 2d scans. However, until recently it was very difficult to do this kind of reconstruction on patient data acquired using ultasound scanning. With the advent of baby scans for the first time allowed us a view into the thinking of a sonologist and hence letting us see the images on the ultrasound machine.
The 3d/4d ultrasound image should utilize ultrasound energy following the same limits as conventional 2d ultrasound to create the 3d images. There is no data to suggest any harm due to 3d ultrasound, its use in none medical situations should be undertaken with an understanding of the risks that exist.
