View from the Inside

New ultrasound team helps physicians see inside the eye

Alexis Smith, CRA, CDOS

When most people think of ultrasound, they recall those first images of a baby in the womb, that faint silhouette shaded in black and white.

Ultrasound, however, has advanced to the point where it now can be used to see inside the eye. Ultrasound has become an important tool in ophthalmology, especially for ocular oncologists like Hakan Demirci, M.D., director of Kellogg's Orbital and Ocular Oncology Service, who provides consultation on adult and pediatric tumors that occur in the eye and orbit. Dr. Demirci leans heavily on the ultrasonography team to provide comprehensive examinations of his complex patients so the proper care can be provided.

Since there are only a few ophthalmic ultrasonographers in the state of Michigan, Kellogg is fortunate to have two on staff: Elizabeth Parrish, COA, CDOS, and Alexis Smith, CRA, CDOS.

"We began working as a team in June 2011 after training under an ophthalmic ultrasonographer who recently retired," says Ms. Parrish. "And I think our different backgrounds make us a great team." Ms. Parrish joined Kellogg in 2007 and has worked as an ophthalmic technician for 25 years. Ms. Smith had several years of experience as an ophthalmic photographer before joining Kellogg in 2010. Both recently earned their CDOS—Certified Diagnostic Ophthalmic Sonographer—certification.

Dr. Demirci views ultrasound as an essential tool in the management of patients with eye tumors.

"Adding two friendly, energetic, and detail-oriented ultrasonographers to our team is improving patient care and efficiency," says Dr. Demirci.

For Dr. Demirci's patients, ultrasound is an essential tool for diagnosis and follow-up of intraocular tumors. "We can examine the inside of the eye as well as the front of the eye using a technique called ultrasound biomicroscopy," says Ms. Parrish. "This technique requires experience, efficiency, and attention to detail. Only certain ophthalmology centers can perform it."

Each ultrasound takes about 20 minutes and is typically performed, without any discomfort to the patient, using numbing drops and a lubricating gel. Improved technology has allowed the ultrasonographers to share scans with Dr. Demirci and his patients more quickly. "Everything we now do is digital," says Ms. Smith. "Before, our reports were hand-written in the chart, sent for dictation, printed, and finally scanned into electronic medical records a week or two later. Now, the process is so much faster for the doctor and the patient." Kellogg's physicians appreciate the timely analysis provided by state-of-the-art ultrasonography equipment.

Because of this improved process, physicians from other clinics—including cornea, glaucoma, and retina as well as Kellogg's community locations—also refer patients for testing.

"It's clear that demand for ultrasound is growing," says Ms. Smith. "Ultrasonography is an essential tool—providing our physicians with timely analysis of detailed images of the eye."