sonogram versus ultrasound

[brownbook]

I am a long time med/surg floor nurse. But this question from a friend stumped me. What is the difference between getting an ultrasound versus getting a sonogram?

It came up in a conversation about ultrasounds for pregnancy and the friend said something along the lines of "aren't they really sonograms or did they use to do sonograms for pregnancies, or what is the difference." I had no idea. I looked on the Internet and the answers were all over the place. Yes there is a difference (with technical details), to no there is no difference. One answer said it is like calling it an automobile versus calling it a car?

I don't I want the answer to be too technical! I believe in the KISS form of explanations.

[NotReady4PrimeTime, RN]

son-o-gram   [son-uh-gram, soh-nuh-]

noun Medicine/Medical.

the visual image produced by reflected sound waves in a diagnostic ultrasound examination.

Origin: 1955–60; sono- + gram

Simple enough?

[rn/writer, RN]

Nah, still too complicated.

Ultrasound = photography.

Sonogram = picture.

Ultrasound makes sonograms like photography produces pictures.

[brownbook]

okay, thanks for the answers.

I guess I needed it to be just a little more technical!

I think I need to do some more research on my own to get a clearer picture. I will be back with more questions!

[Corey Narry, MSN, RN, NP]

Nah, still too complicated.

Ultrasound = photography.

Sonogram = picture.

Ultrasound makes sonograms like photography produces pictures.

Not to be too nitpicky, but if we are to compare it to photography I'd say...

Ultrasound is the medium (if light waves are used as the medium in photography, sound waves are used in Sonography)

Sonography or Ultrasonography is the technique (as in Photography)

and Sonogram is the image produced by Sonography (as in a photograph)

...sometimes the word Sonogram can denote the equipment used in Sonography and the Sonographer is the person performing the technique.