Diagnostic Medical Sonographers
Faviola Hernando
Career Description.
Diagnostic medical sonographers use special imaging equipment that directs sound waves into a patient’s body (known as an ultrasound, sonogram, or echocardiogram) to be able to find medical conditions. Echoes are sent to the ultrasound machine, which processes them and displays them as images.
Obstetric gynecologic sonographer
Imaging the female reproductive system. Many pregnant women receive ultrasounds to track the baby's growth and health.
Abdominal sonographer
Imaging a patient’s abdominal cavity and nearby organs, such as the kidney, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, or spleen.
Neurosonographers
Imaging a patient’s nervous system, including the brain.
Job Responsibilities And Duties
Diagnostic medical sonographers typically do the following:
- Prepare patients for procedures by taking a patient’s history and answering any questions about the procedure
- Prepare and maintain imaging equipment
- Apply a gel to help the sound waves’ ability to show the inside of the body
- Operate equipment to get diagnostic images of areas in the patient’s body
- Analyze the images to check for quality and adequate coverage of the area needed for diagnosis
- Recognize the difference between normal and abnormal images
- Analyze images to provide preliminary findings for physicians
- Record findings and keep track of patients’ records
Job Outlook
Expected to grow by 44 percent from 2010 to 2020, much faster than the average for all occupations.
Salary/Wage Potential Average
$64,380 per year
$30.95 per hour
$30.95 per hour
Average Hours/Working Schedule
Most diagnostic medical sonographers work full time. Because imaging is sometimes needed in emergencies, sonographers sometime work evenings, weekends, or overnight.
Work Environment
Diagnostic medical sonographers held about 53,700 jobs in 2010 and work in healthcare facilities. About 61 percent worked in hospitals in 2010, others worked in areas such as physician’s offices and medical and diagnostic laboratories:
Hospitals; state, local, and private61%
Offices of physicians24
Medical and diagnostic laboratories9
Outpatient care centers2