Info
Ultrasound
Diagnosis
What it means
A painless imaging investigation without radiation that uses ultrasound waves to visualise the internal organs. It is often used to examine the abdomen, the thyroid gland and soft tissues. It carries no known risk.
Related terms
The terms below often appear alongside this one. Each definition is right here, so you do not have to look elsewhere.
- AFP (alpha-fetoprotein)
- A tumor marker useful especially for liver cancer and certain testicular or ovarian tumors. It is measured in the blood for diagnosis, monitoring treatment and detecting a recurrence.
- ALK-positive
- A gene rearrangement found in a subset of lung cancers, more common in non-smoking or younger patients. ALK-positive tumors often respond very well to specific targeted therapies, different from standard chemotherapy.
- Atypical moles (the ABCDE rule)
- Moles that change shape, color or size and may indicate a melanoma. The ABCDE rule helps with self-checks: Asymmetry, irregular Border, uneven Color, Diameter over 6 mm, Evolution over time.
Other terms in “Diagnosis”
Glossary definitions are written for patients by the OncoDots team and go through internal medical review. They explain terms; they do not establish a diagnosis and do not recommend a treatment.