Diagnostic Medical Sonographers

Pierre Curie discovered a procedure to produce ultrasonic vibrations in 1890. It was not until World War II, however, that ultrasound gained a practical application in the form of SONAR, an ultrasonic device used to detect submarines beneath water. In the 1960s, ultrasound gained a medical use. The medical industry sought a safer and more effective way of imaging the fetus of a pregnant woman. Ultrasound provided the answer: The echoes created by ultrasonic sound waves gave physicians and obstetricians a safe way to monitor the development of the fetus.

Ultrasound technology has since been adapted for other medical uses, including the heating of deep tissue to treat such ailments as arthritis and bursitis, and in bloodless brain surgery. Dentists use ultrasonic scrapers to remove calcium deposits from the surface of teeth. In addition to its medical uses, ultrasound is used in the plastics, precious metal and gemstone, electronic, textile, food processing (to ensure food safety and quality), and welding industries.