Ultrasound therapy uses high energy sound waves to treat different diseases. Historically, the use of ultrasonic waves in therapy began before the wide use as a diagnostic medical imaging tool. Dependend on the intensity, ultrasound therapy reach from the thermal effect used in physical therapy to the destruction of tissue with lithotripsy.

Types of ultrasound treatment:
See also Thermal Index, History of Ultrasound, Interventional Ultrasound, and B-Mode Acquisition and Targeting.

(LUS) Diagnostic laparoscopy combined with laparoscopic ultrasound is used for staging tumors and to monitor surgical interventions like for example radiofrequency ablation or cryotherapy. Laparoscopic ultrasound provides direct contact imaging of organs with high frequency ultrasound. Laparoscopic ultrasound identifies and characterizes the tumor, guides the probe, and monitors the progression of the freezing or the thermal destruction. This procedure avoid unnecessary open surgery and improves selection of patients for tumor resection e.g., in liver and pancreas.
Challenges of LUS are limitations of the intraoperative acoustic windows and the possible movement of the probe and that standard orientation techniques are difficult to apply with laparoscopic instruments, resulting in images from oblique planes. 3D ultrasound or special navigation systems may be helpful.

See also Ultrasound Therapy.

Ultrasound is an ideal tool to examine the joints and surrounding soft tissues like tendons, ligaments and joint linings. Musculoskeletal and joint sonography is sensitive, without radiation exposure, easy accessible, quick, and has high patient tolerability with relatively low cost.
A real-time scanner allow the dynamic assessment of the musculoskeletal system and a specific examination for each patient. In addition, joint aspiration and injection accuracy can be improved. Probes with high frequency improve the image resolution and allow visualization of fine anatomic structures of the small parts. As musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSUS) is very operator dependent, experience and training is required. Ultrasound is also often used in the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders.

See also Ultrasound Therapy, Real-Time Mode, Artifact and Ultrasound Biomicroscopy.

The prostate is a walnut-shaped gland surrounding the beginning of the urethra in front of the rectum and below the bladder. The prostate can become enlarged (particularly in men over age 50) and develop diseases like prostate cancer or inflammation (prostatitis). A large tumor can be felt by a rectal examination. The most effective way of detecting the early signs of prostate cancer is a combination of a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test and a prostate ultrasound examination.
An abnormally high level of PSA can indicate prostate cancer or other prostate diseases such as benign prostatic hypertrophy or prostatitis. The transrectal sonography is an important diagnostic ultrasound procedure in determining whether there is any benign enlargement of the prostate or any abnormal nodules.
The imaging is performed with a rectal probe, yielding high resolution. High resolution 3D ultrasound provides reliable and accurate determination of the size and the location of cancer. Additionally, ultrasound elastography is a technique in development to improve the specificity and sensitivity of cancer detection. Ultrasound is also used to detect whether cancerous tissue is still only within the prostate or whether it has begun to spread out and to guide a diagnostic biopsy or ultrasound therapy.

See also Brachytherapy, and High Intensity Focused Ultrasound.

The term 'sonogram' is often used interchangeably with 'ultrasound,' but it specifically refers to the resulting image or picture produced during a diagnostic ultrasound examination, also known as ultrasonography or sonography. It serves as a visual representation of the echoes detected by the transducer and provides detailed anatomical information about the area being examined. Sonograms are typically displayed on a monitor, printed on film, or stored digitally for further analysis and documentation by medical professionals such as sonographers and radiologists. They serve as invaluable diagnostic tools, aiding in the detection and evaluation of various medical conditions, as well as guiding interventions, ultrasound therapy, and treatment planning.
The term 'ultrasound' itself refers to the technology used during a sonogram, but it also finds several other applications beyond medical imaging. These include echolocation, crack detection, and cleaning, among others.
See also Ultrasound Imaging, Ultrasound Technology, Handheld Ultrasound, Ultrasound Accessories and Supplies, Environmental Protection and Ultrasound Elastography.