| |
ultrasonics
(ul″trә-sonŽiks)
that part of the science of acoustics dealing with the frequency range beyond the upper limit of perception by the human ear
(20,000 hertz), but usually restricted to frequencies above 50,000 hertz. Ultrasonic radiation is harmful to tissues because
it heats up matter that absorbs it; however, in controlled doses it can be used therapeutically to selectively break down
pathologic tissues, as in treatment of arthritis and lesions of the nervous system. It can also be used as a diagnostic aid
by visually displaying echoes received from irradiated tissues. See also ultrasonography.

Copyright 2007. An Elsevier publication. All rights reserved.
Click here for important legal information about Dorland's Medical Dictionary.
|