Body Talk - 27th November

Joining me in the studio this evening was Jo Eastman, an Ultrasonographer.

A few years ago Jo started work at a GP practice in Surrey, carrying out an AAA screening programme. Now the work has expanded to provide all of the local scanning for gynae and abdominal conditions. Last year she had an article published in the Journal of Medical Screening about this screening programme. The idea was to have these screening units based in surgeries, thus relieving pressure on the hospitals.

Jo's work covers three main areas. The first is aortic aneurism screening. This type of aneurism is an enlargement of the abdominal aorta, and are found in 4-6% of men between the ages of 65 and 80, and 1% of women of the same age. Ultrasound is a quick, non-invasive test that can diagnose and monitor this condition.

The second area is gynae scanning. A wide range of gynae conditions can be investigated, including fibroids and  menstrual disorders.

The third area is obstetric scanning, checking alll stages of pregnancy, and looking for any abnormalities.

If you have any questions about this fascinating subject, let me know and I will be happy to pass them on to Jo.

Article by Melanie Watson, 3 Dec 2007
Posted in Body Talk

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