Welcome to McLaren. Please use these convenient links to quickly find information regarding parking directions, food services, educational classes and events, online appointment booking, and more. It is our goal that you find your visit to our locations to be as comfortable as possible.
The McLaren system includes 14 hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, imaging centers, a 490-member employed primary and specialty care physician network, commercial and Medicaid HMOs covering more than 620,000 lives in Michigan and Indiana, home health and hospice providers, retail medical equipment showrooms, pharmacy services, and a wholly owned medical malpractice insurance company.
McLaren operates Michigan’s largest network of cancer centers and providers, anchored by the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, one of only 49 National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer centers in the U.S. McLaren has 26,000 employees and more than 85,500 network providers. Its operations are housed in more than 350 facilities serving Michigan and Indiana.
At McLaren we use the latest technology and state-of-the-art ultrasound equipment.
An ultrasound exam, or sonogram, is a safe and generally non-invasive procedure that utilizes high-frequency sound waves to image an internal body structure. A machine is used to produce high-frequency sound waves that are transmitted through a hand-held transducer into the body.
There are no known harmful effects on humans for standard diagnostic ultrasound. Ultrasound imaging uses no ionizing radiation.
Before the Ultrasound
You will receive specific instructions based on the type of ultrasound you are undergoing. In general, the following guidelines apply.
During the Ultrasound
Ultrasound exams typically take 30 minutes.
The sonographer then passes the transducer over the targeted area and obtains the desired diagnostic data. Depending on the type of exam, you may have to lie still, change positions, hold your breath, or perform simple breathing exercises. You will feel pressure from the transducer, but ultrasound is painless and does not use x-ray radiation. For certain exams, you may have to change positions, hold your breath, or have a full bladder
Transvaginal and transrectal ultrasound are specialized tests that can provide better images than traditional ultrasound or other diagnostic methods. For these exams, a smaller, specially designed transducer may be inserted into the vagina or rectum.
After the Ultrasound