Ian Donald, Ultrasound

Ian Donald


Brief Biography
Iam Donad was born in 1910 in Cornwall. As a child he was always very interested in radar technology and studied it from a young age. He studied at several medical schools and served in the RAF as a medical officer. After his return from the war he led a research group that was looking into ultrasound technology.

Contributions
Initially the ultrasound device was used to inspect imperfections in the hulls of ships. This technology was soon refitted for the use of human observations. The ultrasound that was created in 1958 users the same method of obtaining pictures but of course it has been improved over time. An ultrasound uses the reflection of sound waves within the soft tissues of the human body to create a nearly live image of the human internals.

                                                                  Today

Many people receive ultrasounds every day, especially women. Since the images are obtained using sound and not radiation it is safe to use on fetuses. There is a significant risk of hurting the unborn baby if radiation is used. Also because of the high refresh rate a near to live view of the body is able to be displayed. Traditional x-rays need significantly more time to process. This technology made it possible to view soft tissues were before the use of x-rays was used and could only see bone.