Ultrasound Imaging: What Is Inside? (FutureLearn)

Offered by University of Twente,
Ultrasound Imaging: What Is Inside? (FutureLearn)

What is an ultrasound scan, and how do they work? Discover the science of ultrasound and understand its clinical uses. Discover how ultrasound imaging works. With this ultrasound imaging course, you’ll explore some of the main principles behind this fascinating technology. Starting with an ultrasound definition and working your way through the science behind the process, you’ll learn about the clinical applications of an ultrasound scan.

Class Deals by MOOC List - Click here and see FutureLearn's Active Discounts, Deals, and Promo Codes.

Whether you’re simply curious about how the process works, considering sonographer training, or hoping to improve your existing clinical knowledge, this is the course for you.

Learn about the uses of ultrasound
How does ultrasound imaging work? And what is an ultrasound scan? You’ll explore these questions and more as you progress through the course syllabus.
You’ll also examine the current developments in technology, and the new possibilities in ultrasound imaging are arising that may improve diagnostics.

Understand ultrasound imaging from three perspectives
Ultrasound can only be correctly performed and improved when users have a profound knowledge of the underlying technology. With that in mind, this free online course is based on three major perspectives:

  1. Medical perspective: In Week 1 we will examine the versatile use of ultrasound imaging for medical purposes.
  2. Technical perspective: In Weeks 2 to 4 we will explain the underlying technology of ultrasound imaging.
  3. Technical medical perspective: In Weeks 5 and 6 we will apply your newly acquired technical background knowledge of ultrasound to make better images.

Develop your clinical knowledge and patient care
Whether you’re wondering how to learn ultrasound or how to become a sonographer, this course can provide some of the foundations you’ll need. Once completed, you’ll have a good understanding of the technology of ultrasound imaging, and you can apply this knowledge in examples of ultrasound use in the clinic.

Syllabus

Week 1: Ultrasound in medical practice
Week 2: The technology behind ultrasound - Part one
Week 3: The technology behind ultrasound - Part two
Week 4: The technology behind ultrasound - Part three
Week 5: Technical medicine of ultrasound - The first cases
Week 6: Technical medicine of ultrasound - The final cases

What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you'll be able to...

  • Identify and comprehend the versatile use of clinical ultrasound imaging.
  • Explain how medical images are created with ultrasound.
  • Apply technical background knowledge of ultrasound to improve patient care.

Who is the course for?
This course is aimed at everyone interested in ultrasound imaging, its technological background, and its application in clinical practice. Medical students and professionals working with ultrasound might find this course useful as well. Participants are expected to have a pre-university level in mathematics and physics.
Participants with the expected starting level will need about 3 hours per week for the course. If you have already more knowledge or experience about the technical aspects or medical use of ultrasound imaging, you may need less time to complete the course.
In this course, you will investigate ultrasound imaging in-depth and explore the different possibilities from an ultrasound device. However, it is not necessary to have an ultrasound device available.

Go to Class
MOOC List is learner-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Related Courses

Obesity: Causes and Consequences (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
University of Reading

Obesity: Causes and Consequences (FutureLearn)

Obesity is a global epidemic. As the world gets fatter, we begin to see its impact across many aspects of day-to-day life. Obesity is changing the world we live in. Across a wide range of sectors, from the food industry to clothing design we can see the impact of the world’s growing waistline. Perhaps the biggest impact of all is on our physical and psychological health and the effect on the organisations and institutions that support these.

No sessions available
4 Weeks
Career 911: Your Future Job in Medicine and Healthcare (Coursera) Coursera
Northwestern University

Career 911: Your Future Job in Medicine and Healthcare (Coursera)

This course aims to help high school students, recent graduates, and those considering career transitions explore health care career options and learn strategies for entry into the health care workforce and health related fields. There are lots of amazing job opportunities in medicine and healthcare! Join us, as we share the strategies and secrets for getting those jobs.

Sep 14th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Clinical Kidney, Pancreas and Islet Transplantation (Coursera) Coursera
Leiden University,Leiden University Medical Center

Clinical Kidney, Pancreas and Islet Transplantation (Coursera)

Kidney transplantation is a major advance of modern medicine which provides high-quality of life for patients with end-stage renal disease. What used to be an experimental, risky, and very limited treatment option more than 50 years ago is now routinely performed in many countries worldwide. The number of renal transplants is expected to rise sharply in the next decade since the proportion of patients with end stage renal disease is increasing.

Sep 14th 2026
4 Weeks
Nanotechnology for Health: Innovative Designs for Medical Diagnosis (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
University of Twente

Nanotechnology for Health: Innovative Designs for Medical Diagnosis (FutureLearn)

Discover how types of nanotechnology can be used for exciting new opportunities in healthcare. Explore the use and implications of nanotechnology in medicine. Nanotechnology is used to control and manipulate nanometer-sized matter with nanometer precision. This can be atoms, molecules, or larger biological structures such as DNA or living cells. On this course, you’ll explore the potential of nanotechnology products in medical applications, to create new devices that can be used to diagnose a disease or monitor a medical treatment.

Available now
4 Weeks
ECG Assessment: an Introduction for Healthcare Providers (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
St George's, University of London

ECG Assessment: an Introduction for Healthcare Providers (FutureLearn)

Understand the principles of electrocardiography and learn a step-by-step approach to the ECG test, with this free online course. The electrocardiograph (also known as electrocardiogram) or ECG is a non-invasive diagnostic procedure, commonly used to assess people with known or suspected heart disease, in a variety of healthcare settings. Competent recording, reading and interpretation is vital to ensure safe and effective care, yet ECGs are commonly undertaken by unqualified and junior staff, who have received little training.

Self Paced
2 Weeks
Dysphagia: Swallowing Difficulties and Medicines (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
University of East Anglia

Dysphagia: Swallowing Difficulties and Medicines (FutureLearn)

This course will enhance the knowledge of any person involved in the administration of medicines to patients with dysphagia. The course offers an opportunity to network with other learners and with the creators of the course through discussions, graphs and social networking features and to share knowledge with other learners and professionals.

Self Paced
5-12 Weeks
Genomic Medicine: Transforming Patient Care in Diabetes (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
University of Exeter

Genomic Medicine: Transforming Patient Care in Diabetes (FutureLearn)

Learn how developments in genomics are transforming our knowledge and treatment of conditions such as diabetes. This course introduces genomics, using the University of Exeter’s research expertise in diabetes with patient cases, to illustrate the clinical application and impact of current knowledge.

Nov 2nd 2020
4 Weeks
A Journey Through Transfer Medicine (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
University College London

A Journey Through Transfer Medicine (FutureLearn)

Understanding the complexity and diversity of transfer medicine for critically ill patients across a global landscape. Discover how to keep critically ill patients safe during transfer. Across the world, thousands of critically ill patients are transferred within hospitals and between locations, yet there is little formal training available.

Self Paced
4 Weeks