Our Ultrasound Services

 The most common type of prenatal ultrasound is a 2D ultrasound. This is the black and white imaging that is done at most doctor’s offices. The technology is referred to as 2D (short for two dimensional), because it captures flat looking images and outlines of your baby. It is very useful for seeing internal organs and bones of the baby.

Medical providers use 2D ultrasound most often during a pregnancy because it an excellent screening device, allowing them to take accurate measurements of the baby, calculate a due date, evaluate internal anatomy, listen and measure the fetal heartbeat, check the placenta, and other important components of the pregnancy.

At Next GEN 3D/4D Ultrasound, we are not able to use 2D ultrasound for some of the medical purposes listed above. However, we can get some great traditional profile shots of your baby, show you some of the baby’s parts such as feet, toes, hands, legs, etc. We also use the 2D technology for gender determination, as it is the most accurate modality for our early scans starting at 14 weeks.

  As technology in the medical field has advanced over the years, 3D ultrasound was developed using image volume data acquisition. 3D technology utilizes the same high frequency sound waves as 2D and is just as safe to use. The sound waves create reflections from different angles to each other; the ultrasound machine then integrates these reflections with its high-speed computing software, resulting in a 3-dimensional image. In other words, think of a 2D ultrasound as a “slice” (this is what you see by looking at a standard fetal profile view), while 3D ultrasound uses much more volumetric information to create a complete life-like picture.

Over the past 20-30 years, 3D ultrasounds have become popular in the elective ultrasound industry as there has been an increasing demand from expecting parents to see their baby in more detail. 3D technology has allowed families to create a stronger bond with their unborn baby since they can see he or she in a more realistic view.

  4D ultrasound is simply 3D with the addition of real time; meaning while the ultrasound is being performed, you are watching your baby LIVE. The real time is considered the 4th dimension. The recent introduction of the 4D technology to the elective ultrasound industry has been a game changer. Now, expecting families can actually watch the baby’s movements and learn more about their personality. During a 4D ultrasound you can watch your baby smile, pout, suck his or her thumb, stick out the tongue, yawn, and do a myriad of other expressions and movements. At Next GEN 3D/4D Ultrasound we can provide videos and online galleries with video clips that show the 4D movement of your baby so you can share with friends and family.