How to start abdominal scan business in Nigeria

In this post, we discuss How to start an abdominal scan business in Nigeria. Here you will know more about the business, things you need to start, and how to get started.

With the availability of many poorly equipped hospitals in Nigeria, deciding to establish your own abdominal scan business in Nigeria won’t be such a bad idea. This particular niche is not yet saturated and anyone who keys into it will reap its reward.

The most popular abdominal scan is the abdominal ultrasound. This is so because it does not involve the use of radiation which makes it the most affordable.

What Is an Abdominal Ultrasound Scan?

An abdominal scan or abdominal ultrasound is a type of diagnostic imaging test that is carried out to view structures or organs located in the abdomen, including organs like the liver, gallbladder, spleen, pancreas, and kidneys. Abdominal ultrasound is also used to scan the blood vessels leading to some of the aforementioned organs, such as the inferior vena cava and aorta.

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How Is Abdominal Scan Performed?

Abdominal ultrasound is performed using an ultrasound machine. This machine makes images of internal organs and structures in the human body. It does this by sending out high-frequency sound waves that reflect off structures in the body.

A computer that is connected to the machine receives the reflected sound waves and then uses them to create an image. It is relatively safe compared to X-ray and CT scans since it does not expose the patient to any dose of ionizing radiation.

To conduct the scan, the patient is made to lie down. A clear, water-based gel with conducting ability is then applied to the skin over the abdomen. The applied gel serves the function of aiding the transmission of the reflected sound waves. A transducer, which is a handheld probing device is then used to move over the abdomen.

Depending on the situation, the patient may need to change body positions to help the healthcare provider obtain views of different areas. The patient may also have to hold his or her breath for a transient period during the abdominal examination. The test may last for less than 30 minutes.

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TYPES OF SONOGRAPHY MACHINES

1. Basic Ultrasound Machine

The trans-abdominal machine is the most commonly used ultrasound machine. It makes use of a transducer to send out high-frequency sound waves that reflect off of structures inside the body. A computer that is connected to the machine receives the reflected sound waves and then uses them to create two-dimensional images of the structures in the body.

The generated 2D images can either be viewed on the computer screen connected to the machine, recorded as a video, or printed out as a photo. The ability of ultrasound machines to record sounds, allows babies’ heartbeat to be heard during a sonogram.

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2. Doppler Ultrasound

Doppler ultrasound machine is used in the measurement of the speed of movement of foreign objects in the human body. The machine does this by sending out a signal and then changing the frequency of the returned signal when there is a movement of objects. The pitch of the returned signal gets higher as the object moves towards the transducer and lower, the further away it moves from the transducer.

3. Cardiac Ultrasound

When it comes to the monitoring of heart functions, cardiac ultrasound cannot be left out. Its lack of emission of radiation makes it preferable over other scans out there. Cardiac ultrasound is popularly referred to as echocardiograms. Just like every other ultrasound machine, it uses sound waves to create images of the heart. It also measures the speed at which blood flows (velocity of blood) in the body through the use of Doppler signals.

Cardiac ultrasound is employed in the diagnosis of heart conditions as well as in the assessment of health and function of cardiac valves. It is handled commonly by certified and properly educated sonographers and exclusively by echocardiographers.

4. 3-D and 4-D Ultrasound

Unlike the usual 2D ultrasound machine we are all used to; these less commonly available 3D and 4D machines have the capability of producing an advanced image of objects in the body or image of organs and structures in the body. It does this by taking multiple pictures of objects in the body and then meshing them into either 3D or 4D images using a computer.

The finished image can be seen on the computer screen. Some can be recorded or printed out as photos depending on the design of the machine. 4D images are a lot cleaner and clearer than conventional 2D images after getting meshed together. Nevertheless, this machine is less commonly used.

5. Breast Ultrasound

The name of the ultrasound machine is enough to give a clue on its function. A breast ultrasound machine is built specifically for scanning tissues of the breast. It is of great use when it comes to the early detection of breast cancer in women.

Since women are more prone to the development of breast cancer compared to men, any cancerous cell in the breast tissues must be detected early enough, to initiate chemotherapy or surgery as appropriate and on time.

Breast ultrasound is preferred to other forms of scans, this is because there is no emission of radiation whatsoever in the scanning process. Breast ultrasound machines are sensitive enough to detect little abnormalities in the body. They also make use of Doppler signals to monitor the flow of blood in and out of the breast area.

6. Transvaginal/transrectal Scanners

Unlike other scanners listed above, whereby the transducer is applied on the outside of the body to view the inside of the body, the transvaginal or transrectal scanner is an exception in that, its transducer is inserted into the vagina or rectum respectively to get a scan. Both of them are employed in scans for the detection of abnormalities in the body

How to start abdominal scan business in Nigeria

1. Get Trained Or Employ Trained Staffs:

You don’t particularly need to be a sonographer before being able to start your abdominal scan business center. You can employ people who have been trained in the field and then use their skills to make money. These trained professionals are called sonographers.

2. Get A Business Name and Register With Corporate Affairs Commission CAC

Since it is going to be a business center, you will have to pick a business name and then go to the Corporate Affairs Commission to register it. Registering your business confers legitimacy on it.

3. Get A Location:

You will need a building for your abdominal scan business. You can lease a hall and then partition it into small rooms that will serve as offices, storerooms for pieces of equipment and other materials. The building should also have a toilet, good lighting, and ventilation as well as security.

4. Acquire Your Equipment:

The equipment is the most important item in this business. The abdominal scanner can be ordered from online medical sites that deal with apparatus like this. There are various brands of ultrasound machines, popular ones include:

• Accuvix V20 Ultrasound Machine from Samsung
• HD11 XE Ultrasound System from Philips
• New MyLab 9 Ultrasound Platform from Esaote
• UF-450AX Diagnostic Ultrasound Scanner from Fukuda
• ACUSON X300 Women’s Ultrasound System from Siemens

Visiting an abdominal scan department in a few hospitals will give feel of what you want.

5. Advertise and Start Work

After getting your staff and machines ready, the next thing you would want to do is spread the word. You can advertise your business on TV, radio, social media platforms, billboards, fliers, etc.

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