Current Cost of Ultrasound Scan in Nigeria Today (July, 2024)
One of the most important medical procedures in Nigeria today is ultrasound scanning technology. This biomedical technology uses sound waves with high frequency to capture and scan images in the body of the recipient. Another name for ultrasound scanning is sonography. It is mostly used in pregnancy tests.
Ultrasound scan technology is used to monitor the health condition of the baby in the womb of a mother. Now, that we have elucidated enough on the importance of this process, let’s delve into ultrasound scan price in Nigeria.
Current Cost of Ultrasound Scan in Nigeria (2024)
Ultrasound is one of the most common medical procedures in Nigeria can be done in almost any medical facility that is found in the country. This procedure is very cheap as it does not require you to break the bank. There are other factors you should also put into consideration when considering the price of ultrasound.
One of the factors to put into consideration is the type of hospital you want to perform the scan in. Another factor is the part of the body that needs to be scanned. Private hospitals tend to be more expensive than government-owned hospitals. There is a huge gap between the prices of the two.
A rough estimate of the cost of ultrasound in Nigeria can range between N5,000 to N20,000. This price range as stated earlier still depends on whether it is a private or government hospital. Also, kindly note that the drugs taken during the medical examination of the patient’s body would also total to the amount to be paid.
Things You Should Know About Ultrasound Scan
Ultrasound scanning is a biomedical technology that makes use of sound waves with high frequency to scan the body for the purpose of medical diagnosis. It takes a professional Ultrasound technician, to be able to answer questions asked by the medical practitioner that is taking care of the patient. Normally, radiologists are the ones that supervise the ultrasound technician and then report to the medical doctor.
Other doctors from other medical fields also use the ultrasound scan procedure. Obstetricians, for instance, use this biomedical tool to scan the fetus to check its condition during pregnancy. Surgeons most importantly, use it to check for abdominal pain and other conditions during surgical procedures.
Sound waves are not very accurate when they are made to pass through the skin. This is why a gel is used to layer the part of the body that is to be scanned. Then, the transducer would project sound waves. With the knowledge of human anatomy, the ultrasound technician can use images gotten from the body to answer questions asked by the doctor of the patient.
This scanning process can sometimes be time-consuming. This is because the transducer has to move around in different directions. The ultrasound technician in some cases might need to vary the pressure used by the probe to push into the skin.
With the aid of the ultrasound technology, the doctor can identify problems with internal body organs, tissues and vessels all without making a surgical cut into the body. Unlike other Imaging technologies like chemotherapy and radiotherapy, ultrasound has no health side effects because it does not involve radiation. Because of the safety of the ultrasound scan, it is the most preferred method for imaging the fetus during pregnancy.
Ultrasound Scan Preparation
Preparing for an ultrasound scan largely depends on the part of your body that needs to be imaged. The physician might advise you not to eat anything prior to the time of the scan, especially if your abdomen is the part of your body that needs to be imaged. There is every possibility that food that did not digest might block sound waves. This would end up making it difficult for the ultrasound technician to see a clear picture.
Ultrasound technology is used to inspect the gallbladder, pancreas, liver, or spleen. Nevertheless, you can drink water, and take medicines as you are instructed. For further analysis, you might be required to take a lot of water and hold your urine, so that your bladder would be full. The purpose of this approach is so that there would be better imaging for better visualizing. Like stated earlier, other imaging technologies have a lot of health risk attached to them, unlike the ultrasound scan.
What ultrasound scans are used for
On a general note, the Ultrasound scan is used for medical diagnosis. For other techniques like biopsies, an Ultrasound scan can be used to scan internal organs like pancreas, liver, kidney, thyroid gland, ovaries, testes etc. An ultrasound can be used to clearly distinguish between a cyst that is filled with fluid or a tumour.
This technology is used to check tissues, blood vessels, joints and tendons. It can also be used to examine frozen shoulder, carpal tunnel syndrome, tennis elbow and others. There are other types of ultrasound. One type, the doppler ultrasound, can be used to investigate the flow of blood in a vessel.
