MODEL RELEASED Ultrasound scan on a dog. Veterinarian performing an abdominal ultrasound scan on an Alsatian with the help of a nurse. The vet is preparing the dog for surgery to treat cancer of the spleen. Ultrasound scanning is a diagnostic technique that sends high-frequency sound waves into the body via a transducer (held in hand). The returning echoes are recorded and used to build an image of an internal structure.