Author: Dr. Sandhya Dhankhar

Dr. Sandhya is an MBBS, DMRD, DNB (Radiology) and is currently a consultant radiologist at Faith Diagnostic Centre, Chandigarh. She specializes in fetal medicine. She is skilled and known for her Fetal ECHO test.

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Faith Diagnostic Centre Chandigarh Radiology

Women Female Health Checkup | महिला स्वास्थ्य जांच | Important Diagnostic Tests

Women Female Health Checkup | महिला स्वास्थ्य जांच | Important Diagnostic Tests

Women Female Health Checkup | महत्वपूर्ण नैदानिक ​​परीक्षण

Women Health Check Up, In this video our expert radiologist Dr. Sandhya Dhankhar will talk about Female Health Checkup and Important Diagnostic Tests For Women. Also, she will answer some important questions that people usually ask like:

  • Who should get these health checkups? 
  • Which tests should be done in the health checkups for women?
  • Why do young girls require a health check? 
  • How frequently should health checks be done?

Health checkups are done as a regular check-up for your health-related problems, like diabetes hypertension. Along with this, it gives you early detection of cancer. 

Who should get these health checkups? | Women Health Check Up

There are no gender criteria. I think both men and women should undergo these tests. And there is not a particular age group. That people in these age groups should do a health check-up. It starts as early as 12 years and as late as 90 years.  

But what kind of health checkup you should undergo depends on many factors. One is your age. So, according to age, the number of test types of tests become different. Because at different ages, we need to detect different things. Maybe at an early age, we detect hormonal problems more. And in the late ages, we detect more for cancer. 

Which tests should be done in the health checkups?

Gender 

Depending upon gender, in males, there are different tests to be done because their health-related problems are different. And in females, different tests should be done. You cannot give the same package to both males and females. 

So today, I think we’ll focus more on the women’s health packages, and in this, there is another myth that only just doing blood tests are just doing their health checkups. Many people call the lab people at their home, they do the home collection, and they think all the tests have been done. And that’s a complete health checkup that is being done. But that’s a myth. Doing only blood tests will not tell whether you are absolutely fine because blood tests are just a part of the health checkup.

Family history | Women Health Check Up

Health checkups include your medical history, physical examination, blood pressure examination, ECG, maybe a pap smear, mammography, ultrasound test, chest x-ray, your body mass index, and different other parameters depending upon your clinical history and family history. 

Suppose you have a strong family history of heart disease. So maybe doing an echo TMT along with the rest of your profile adds to the value of your health check-up. Or maybe if you have a family history of breast cancer, then doing mammography as early as 40 years of age is important. It indicates that you should undergo these tests and what should be done for a particular patient. 

So just categorising a health package or a premium package does not mean that it suits you. Every patient or individual needs a different kind of test according to their requirement, family history, and percent history. 

So it is important to understand that health checkups mean that you have to undergo a clinical checkup or your body checkup to know whether your body parameters are normal. The rest of the things are normal. It is not only a blood test.

Why do young girls require a health check? 

Because, as we see nowadays there are many hormonal problems which come up in young women. Which leads to irregular periods. Menstrual problems from pain during periods. It also has other aspects of body weight gain, falling of hair. We have seen so many cases of PCOS in our daily routine now. So there is something related to health at each and every step. So it’s not that only elderly women should undergo a health check. Rather, I would say at every age you need a health checkup. 

How frequently should health checks be done?

Usually, it is done every year. But if you have any other problem, the tests can be done early, or they can be done in two years. But it is better to do at least two early, if not early. 

Who requires a Pap smear, and what is a Pap smear test? 

It is done in women above 20 years or 30 years of age. And usually, a pelvic examination is done before the pap smear by the gynaecologist. They usually recommend it. But it is done as a protocol in the health checks of those women who are above 40 years of age. So we recommend mammography and pap smear as a part of their health checks above 40 years of age as a routine. 

Then, in cases of women who are under 40, they can undergo breast ultrasound tests rather than doing breast mammography because mammography has radiation. So it is better not to do this under the age of 40 unless there is a specific indication for it. 

If you have any other specific problems, you should tell your doctor. Visit a doctor before undergoing a health checkup. Doing a blood test that will not include the complete checkup of your body is false assurance that you are healthy, even if you are not healthy. 

So it is not only that we see the early detection of cancer, we do detect early signs of diabetes, heart disease, and other hormonal-related problems. As we see, many times, just by knowing Vitamin D score in their blood parameters, people assume to be healthy. But it is, it becomes important to do a DEXA scan to see which category you are falling in. Whether it is just osteopenia or osteoporosis, it means less deficiency of vitamin D or calcium, or it is more deficiency. Whether you need treatment for that particular vitamin deficiency or not. So these are important things which you should all be aware of. 

You are already spending money, you are getting tests done. Do it in a proper way, so that you get a complete report of your health and not just the blood parameters. So that you are at least assured about your health for at least the next one or two years. So it is important. And it is not for patients or women who already have some disease. But it is for healthy people to know that your health is absolutely perfect. With this, I would like to thank you all for listening.

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Fallopian Tube Test | HSG Test | Hysterosalpingography(हिस्टेरोसेलिंगमोग्राम) or Tube Test | Is HSG test painful? | एचएसजी टेस्ट |

Fallopian Tube Test

Fallopian Tube Test | HSG Test(Hysterosalpingography) or Tube Test | हिस्टेरोसाल्पिंगोग्राफी टेस्ट परीक्षण

Fallopian tube test, In this video SimpliHealth expert Radiologist Dr. Sandhya Dhankhar will talk about the HSG Test (Hysterosalpingography).

What is the HSG Test?

HSG or Hysterosalpingography and in the common language, it is called the tube test. This test basically is an x-ray based test in which, with the help of dye or contrast, we know about the patency of the fallopian tube. 

So basically fallopian tubes are the structures that help the egg to travel from the ovaries to the uterus where it gets fertilized and forms the embryo. If these fallopian tubes are blocked or partially blocked then this transfer of eggs from the ovaries is not possible. And it becomes difficult to conceive, to get pregnant. This test helps couples who are infertile, who are trying for so many years but are not able to conceive, and the rest of the tests are normal. 

HSG test procedure

There are a lot of myths about this test, that it is very painful, and this may require hospitalization. We do get patients who tell us that we can do it under general anesthesia because they are so afraid to get this test. So let me make it all clear to you that this is not a very painful test, you do not require general anesthesia for this test. And this is a clinic-based test, there is no need for hospitalization. You can go home after the test, getting your report within 10 to 15 minutes. It just needs 5 to 7 minutes to do the whole test.

So guys don’t get afraid of this test. It is an important test and if you are having difficulty you should do it.

How HSG test is done | Fallopian Tube Test

So the procedure just takes 5 minutes. This is the uterus, this is the cavity of the uterus, this is the fallopian tube, one on each side, this is the ovary which has multiple follicles which release eggs. 

So in HSG what happens, we put a small thin rubber cannula into the vagina or the opening of the uterus and then insert the contrast into the uterine cavity. This fluid-like contrast goes into the uterine cavity and the fallopian tubes and then spills over. And at the same time we take the X-rays. This contrast is seen in the X-ray. And that tells us whether the contrast is seen up till here, that means the tube is blocked. If it goes and then spillage of the contrast is seen, that means the tubes are patent. And this helps us to know the partial blockage, the level of the blockage, or any other problem in the tubes as well as in the uterine cavity. 

This can be corrected by surgical means and there are increased chances of conceiving by resolving this problem. 

When can the hysterosalpingography test be done? |Fallopian Tube Test

So this dress is usually done immediately after the periods, maybe after 2-3 days. Because then we are very sure that you are not pregnant at that time. 

And when should it not be done ?

It should not be done when you are bleeding, if you are pregnant, or if you feel that you can be pregnant, and thirdly if you are not well. 

What are the medications that are needed with the hysterosalpingography test? 

One is we do recommend taking a painkiller half an hour to one hour before the test. You should have a good breakfast or lunch before the test. Because many times we have seen patients come fasting for this test, and then they get all kinds of giddiness and dizziness at the time of the test. It is better to have your meal and then come prepared. Take a painkiller and we do recommend taking antibiotics in this test because it is an internal test. So we don’t take the chances of you getting any kind of infection. So we give antibiotics prior to the test and recommend to take for at least three to five days. 

Sono HSG 

In the same way, we can evaluate fallopian tubes with the help of ultrasound as well. It is the same procedure but we take ultrasound instead of X-rays. And ultrasounds we look for the flow of saline in the fallopian tubes and in the adnexa. 

If the tube is patent we say with the color Doppler, a cascade of color flow in the adnexa, which tells us that fluid has come out of the fallopian tube, which tells you about the patency of the tube. So this is known as Sono HSG rather than simple HSG. And Sonu HSG is again the less painful and less time-consuming compared to HSG.

Bottom line 

So guys it is a painless test. It is a simple procedure which is hardly 5-7 minutes. You should do it, and don’t get afraid of this test. We at Faith Diagnostic Centre are doing this HSG and sono HSG test for the last 11 years, with good results. And we wish you good luck. Thank you so much for listening to the video. 

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Faith Diagnostic Centre Chandigarh Radiology

Follicular Study: Meaning, Reasons, Cost & Process (फॉलिक्युलर स्टडी)

Follicular Study: Meaning, Reasons, Cost & Process (फॉलिक्युलर स्टडी)

Follicular Study: Meaning, Reasons, Cost & Process फॉलिक्युलर स्टडी या फॉलिक्युलर मॉनिटरिंग

Follicular Study, In this video SimpliHealth expert radiologist, Dr. Sandhya Dhankhar will talk about Follicular Study, its meaning, reasons, cost & process.

What is Follicular Monitoring?

Follicular monitoring is to see the growth of the follicles in the ovaries of women. And in this way, we can monitor how the egg is forming and what is the right time for them to release and to fertilize. 

How is the follicular monitoring test done?

There are two methods of doing this ultrasound 

  1. One is transvaginal which is a more accurate method 
  2. The second is the transabdominal. 

The transvaginal method is more accurate because it gives you a close vision of the ovaries and it is a better vision of the follicles because they are only a few millimeters so we can see them better. By transabdominal scan what happens because the bladder in between the ovaries is far off and that is why we cannot see follicles so clearly. So it is always better to have a transvaginal scan which is done by inserting a probe into the vagina to look for the follicles.

Is Follicular Monitoring painful?

No. It is just slightly uncomfortable you can say, but it is not at all painful.

Who requires particular monitoring? | Follicular Study

Normally those women who have difficulty in conceiving or who are on treatment for having pregnancy, those have infertility in which we want to see how the follicle is growing. So basically by this, we see what is the best timing for the fertilization of the egg. 

When is the best time to do follicle tracking?

We start first with the baseline scan, which is done on the second day of the period second or third day. This baseline scan is done to see whether ovaries are normal. Whether there is any remaining cyst from the previous cycle. If there is any chocolate cyst or any other abnormality in the ovaries.

And then we look for the uterus, and we look for the endometrium how it is behaving. If there are any abnormalities including the tubes, sometimes we see hydrosalpinx. 

This is a baseline test to detect any kind of abnormalities as such and then we call the woman at around 7th day or 8th day, and accordingly. Then we monitor the growth of the follicle and we call them after two days, or after one day. At least five-six sittings are needed to do complete follicular monitoring.

Are there any side effects for a follicular monitoring ultrasound scan?

No, there are no side effects of follicular monitoring ultrasound, it’s absolutely safe to do follicular monitoring. 

Follicular Study Test Price

If we want to just do a single scan, it is approximately 800 INR. But making it as a package, because most of these patients require at least a minimum of 5-6 cans in one cycle. So we do follicular study for around 2,500 INR. So it’s very cost-effective.

Bottom line | Follicular Study

So as such follicular monitoring is important for those patients. Who are undergoing IVF treatment or who are facing difficulty in getting pregnant. So we can tell them this is the right time for them to conceive. Even gynecologists can regularise their treatment of doses of the hormones, whether to increase or decrease the dose, with the help of follicular monitoring. It is a very helpful test for such patients. 

That’s all for today, thank you Dr. Sandhya Dhankhar for sharing all this information with others and also for making this test affordable for many of the patients. 

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Faith Diagnostic Centre Chandigarh Radiology

Fetal Echo Test (फीटल इको टेस्ट) Purpose, Procedure & Risk Factors | उद्देश्य, प्रक्रिया और जोखिम कारक?

Fetal Echo Test

Fetal Echo Test (फीटल इको टेस्ट): Purpose, Procedure & Risk Factors

In this video our SimpliHealth expert  Dr. Sandhya Dhankar  talks about the Fetal Echo Test during pregnancy. Fetal echo is an ultrasound test that is done in the second trimester during pregnancy. This test can help to hear the heart of the fetus.

What is a fetal echo?

Fetal echo test (फीटल इको टेस्ट) is the test done to hear the heart of the fetus, as we do an adult echo to look at the heart in the adults. So, in the same way, it is a specialized test done to look at the fetal heart. 

When should a fetal echo be done? Or When can I hear my baby’s heartbeat?

It is usually done in the second trimester i.e. around 18 weeks onwards up to 28 weeks. So the best time to do it is around 22 weeks to 24 weeks. In India, we have this law regarding the MTP, that MTPs are usually done at 20 weeks. So we preferably do it around 18 to 20 weeks. Although the heart is still small at that time, we can still visualize the heart very well to identify the fetal heart abnormalities. And nowadays, with the advancement in ultrasound, we can look at the fetal heart around the first trimester when we do an NT scan which is around 12 -13 weeks. Major fetal heart abnormalities can be picked up as early as 12 weeks.

Do we need to be prepared for a fetal echo? Or Abdominal ultrasound prep

Usually, no special preparation is needed. One need not be fasting or have a full bladder. Sometimes we ask the pregnant women to slightly fill the bladder to look at the heart for the position of the fetus; otherwise, no special preparations are needed.

What kind of a patient especially happens to have this? Or Can heart problems affect pregnancy?

Women who have any previous history of having congenital heart disease in the family or their previous pregnancies are specially told to undergo this test. Otherwise now everybody along with the anomaly scan when we looked at different structures of the fetus we do look at the fetal heart. It is recommended to undergo fetal echo as basic views to look at the fetal heart are done along with the structure anomaly scan. If we find small abnormalities or anything which is not normal then we advise them to go for a fetal echo test.

For those babies who have any other structural abnormalities in the fetus like we have some problem with the face on the limbs or the kidneys, then we do advise them to undergo fetal echo to rule out any congenital heart disease. And mothers who have diabetes, hypertension, or any other abnormalities or they are on drugs that can lead to heart problems in the fetus, are told to undergo this special test.

What are the risk factors involved?

It is absolutely safe to do fetal echo during pregnancy. This is just the same kind of ultrasound but we have a specialized focus on the fetal heart rate, otherwise, it is the same as ultrasound. There is no radiation, it is absolutely safe to undergo fetal echo. 

Are all fetal heart abnormalities fatal? or Should I be concerned if my baby’s ultrasound shows a heart defect?

No, there are very minor abnormalities if they are detected. Simple Echogenic focus in the fetal heart or the small VSDs. VSDs are small holes in the heart. They can get corrected with time and there is no need to undergo any treatment for them. But there can be some abnormality in the fetal heart rate for which they may have to undergo an operation after birth. They can be corrected with multiple operations or maybe a single operation. 

And their abnormality is something that cannot get corrected. So that is why it is important to diagnose these abnormalities beforehand. So that the counseling of the parents can be done accordingly. Then it is up to whether they want to continue with this kind of pregnancy or they don’t want to continue. 

And sometimes the probabilities are so small that they can tell them that, it is nothing to worry about, as the baby grows this whole can be filled up. these small VSDs can get corrected as the heart develops further. 

So this test helps us to know which patients have to make the decision. If it is a major abnormality then they may have to take the decision to terminate the pregnancy. And there can be other tests that we can recommend looking at the different abnormalities in the fetus. 

Sometimes we do need to take invasive testing like amniocentesis to further diagnose the genetic abnormalities of normality of the chromosomes in the fetus.

Why fetal echo is recommended, anything else you would like to add?

I would say this fetal echo is a specialized test and should be done in those patients where it is needed.  And yes, fetal echo helps us to understand that the fetal heart rate is also a very important structure. And the abnormalities are now treated with advancements in the field of fetal medicine. Then there are different operations available in India and abroad as well so this can be corrected if the rest of the fetus is normal. They should not panic about it. 

And they should take proper counseling and proper consultations from fetal medicine experts or the pediatric cardiologist who can help.

That’s all for today. Thank you for answering all your questions and I hope this will be very helpful for many of the viewers. Thank you.

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Pregnancy Ultrasound Schedule | गर्भावस्था अल्ट्रासाउंड अनुसूची क्यों, कब और कैसे? | Why, When and How?

Ultrasound During Pregnancy

Pregnancy Ultrasound Schedule: Why, When, and How? (गर्भावस्था मैं अल्ट्रासाउंड)

Today we are with Dr. Sandhya Dhankhar, and we will be discussing the importance of pregnancy ultrasound schedule .

Why do we have an ultrasound during pregnancy? Or  Is ultrasound necessary in pregnancy?

Ultrasound gives a window to look at the fetus, and rather it is just the only window through which we can see it.

What does an ultrasound detect? Or अल्ट्रासाउंड में क्या क्या पता चलता है? (Pregnancy Ultrasound Schedule)

Ultrasound tells about the location of the fetus, how many fetuses are there, single, twins. It tells about the growth of the fetus, so there are many abnormalities that can be detected by ultrasound.

Why is it mandatory to have so many ultrasounds during pregnancy?

Many patients asked why so many ultrasounds now and how many times ultrasound is safe during pregnancy. Previously there were not so many ultrasounds done. Nowadays, everybody is cautious to have a good baby or a normal baby and not so many babies are there, everybody wants to have one or two or want a perfect baby, so to detect at every step like the fetus is growing well, or there are any abnormalities whether the fetus is growing so there are types of scanning during pregnancy at different timings. Different types of ultrasound in pregnancy are done to detect the growth and normality of the pregnancy.

Whether the ultrasound is safe or is it harmful?

Ultrasound is completely safe, and it is a myth that it is unsafe for the baby. And an ultrasound can be done on alternate days every week. So it is completely safe in pregnancy.

Which month should a pregnant lady start getting an ultrasound? Or When do you have your first pregnancy scan?

pregnancy ultrasound schedule, Different ultrasounds are done at different periods of gestation. Like in early pregnancy, we look for the number of fetuses. Where exactly is the pregnancy, whether it is in the uterus or outside the uterus, which we call ectopic pregnancy? 

So we need to locate the pregnancy, where it exactly is, whether it is a viable pregnancy. You can see the heartbeat of the fetus at six weeks, i.e., one and a half months.  And then, we do an ultrasound known as an anti scan in the third month of the pregnancy, around 12 weeks. Different ultrasounds are done at different timings to detect different things.

How many ultrasounds should be done in total?

There should be six ultrasounds in nine months but if there are any problems then you can have more scans. 

What are the important scans that should be done?

Firstly, in early pregnancy, to detect the viability and the number and the location of the pregnancy.  Then anti-scan at  12 weeks and level II scan or anomaly scan at fifth month, around eighteen to twenty weeks. And growth scans around twenty-eight weeks, thirty-two weeks, thirty-six weeks.

These are the main, important scans.

Can we detect all types of abnormalities during the ultrasound?

Usually, structural abnormalities can be detected very easily. However, there are a few things that cannot be detected by ultrasounds. So you have to be cautious in picking up the markers which tell you that this can be an abnormal baby, although it looks normal. 

Nothing can be 100% in medicine, so there is always a sensitivity of each test. Ultrasound also has a sensitivity of approximately 90 to 95%.

Why is a blood test done during pregnancy? Or which blood test is done for pregnancy?

Different blood tests are done during pregnancy. A few blood tests like :

  1. Hemoglobin
  2. Blood sugar

These are for detecting any abnormalities in the mother itself. During pregnancy, there are a lot of changes in the mother’s body, so viral markers lead to a lot of infections. There are two particular tests. This is one dual test that is done at around 11 weeks or 12 weeks. And second is the quadruplet test, which is done around the fourth month onwards till 20 weeks. Timing is from 16 to 20 weeks, and these two tests are done to detect the abnormalities in the fetus. We take the mother’s blood to detect the abnormalities in the fetus. These are two important things that are done along with ultrasound. 

If done under the specific guidelines under specific parameters, these things got a better sensitivity. So it is better to do it under labs that are fetal medicine certified. Those who know the importance of each and every marker, those who know the importance of each and every measurement. So they take pains to do a scan in a proper way.

Thank you so much!

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Breast Cancer Awareness (स्तन कैंसर जागरुकता) Check up Important? Why is Mammography So Important?

Breast Cancer Awareness (स्तन कैंसर जागरुकता) Check up Important? Why is Mammography So Important?

Breast Cancer Awareness | स्तन कैंसर जागरुकता | महत्वपूर्ण जांचें?

Breast cancer awareness, How many of you are married? Does anyone here know a family member who has any breast problems? I hope everyone here knows what breast means. Does anyone have any girl or an old lady in their family with breast cancer? 

Are you aware of the term breast cancer?

Today we will be talking about breast cancer.  It is the most common cancer found in females. And it is very important for us to know the causes of breast cancer. Does anyone have any idea how do we know that we have breast cancer? When should we go to the doctor for a checkup? (inaudible) ‘blood in cough’ is a symptom of cancer. But it is not a symptom of breast cancer.

When there are lumps in the breast. 

Very good. This is the first thing to notice. When lumps are formed in the breast. And the vital thing to keep in mind is that these lumps do not hurt. Breastfeeding moms also experience lumps in their breasts, but those are not cancerous. That is an infection due to the blockage of milk. And these lumps hurt. 

So breast cancer lumps do not hurt. The age of the lady is mostly above 40. But nowadays, we see 30-year-old patients as well. This could be due to lifestyle choices. Nowadays, we see women of the age 35, 29, 38 come in with breast cancer. So it is crucial to examine our breasts for lumps. The earlier you diagnose it, the better it can be treated.  So for this, everyone one of you, every month, should check if you get bloody discharge from your nipples. If you see a blood-like discharge from your nipples, then you should consult a doctor at the earliest. 

So you should keep these things in mind: 

  • Lumps in the breast. 
  • Check for lumps that don’t hurt. We often overlook it as it does not hurt, but these lumps that don’t hurt are dangerous as they are cancerous. Therefore, it is best to diagnose it at an early stage. 
  • Blood-like discharge from the nipples. 

We should pay close attention to these three things. 

Why is Mammography so Important? | Breast Cancer Awareness

Now you know that you have a lump in your breast, but what should you do about it? First, you can consult a general physician near you. Consult a government hospital like PGI. Ultrasound and an X-ray are necessary. An X-ray for breast cancer is called Mammography. 

Mammography helps us determine if the patient has cancer or not.  It is very important. For ladies above the age of 40, it is very important to get periodic mammography or pap smear tests. As early diagnosis helps treat the problem better. Cancer is not incurable anymore. Timely treatment can save the patient and does not cause any harm in the future. 

Does anyone have any questions? | Breast cancer awareness

So these two-three things I mentioned should be kept in mind. In order to take care of the family, we forget to take care of ourselves. Eat food on time, as it is important for nutrition. Anemia is very common in women because of menstruation and because of lack of nutrition. We feed the family and forget about our share, which is very wrong. 

You should make a habit of eating ‘gudd’ after eating food. Jaggery has iron. You should ‘gudd chana’. If you feel sick, get yourself treated as soon as possible. If you are healthy only then can you take care of others health. You can always contact us if there is a problem. We have our numbers here for you. You can contact us through the organizers. Our project ‘Raksha’ is all about protecting ladies and taking care of their health. 

But you have to help yourself first. If you have any problem you can go to Mr. Aditya, he can then connect you to us. We have a mammography facility available at our diagnostic center. We are associated with a few NGOs as well who treat people for free. There are Government facilities also available for the treatment.

There are a lot of ways we can help you, but first, you should have the feeling to get better.  If anyone else wants to ask anything? 

Thank you. 

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