In ultrasound, a beam of sound at a very high frequency (that cannot be heard) is sent into the body from a small vibrating crystal in a hand-held scanner head.  When the beam meets a surface between tissues of different density, echoes of the sound beam are sent back into the scanner head.  The time between sending the sound and receiving the echo back is fed into a computer, which in turn creates an image that is projected on a television screen.  Ultrasound is a very safe type of imaging; this is why it is so widely used during pregnancy.

 

Preparing for your ultrasound

For pregnancy examinations within the first three months, and for pelvic and kidney scans, it is important that you have a full bladder. The best way to achieve a full bladder is to drink 1 litre of fluid one and a half hours before your appointment.

For examinations of the gall bladder and other types of abdominal examinations, it is important that you do not eat anything for six hours beforehand.

If you are having both an abdominal and a pelvic examination do not eat for six hours and drink 1 litre of fluid one and a half hours before the examination.

 

What to expect?

After you lie down on the Ultrasound bed, the radiologist or sonographer will spread a waterbased jelly on your skin over the area to be examined. The ultrasound probe is then placed on the jelly, which is a sound conductor, to obtain the pictures.

You will be completely unaware of the sound waves produced by the probe. There is no discomfort during the examination, apart from the sensation of a full bladder if you are having a pelvic examination.

The examination usually takes 15 -30 minutes.

For pregnancy examinations, you are most welcome to bring your partner or other close members of the family.

 

Your results

If your problem is urgent, your doctor may ask you to return to the surgery after the examination is finished. First you need to wait 15-30 minutes while we process the scanning pictures and the radiologist makes a diagnosis. You will then be able to take both the pictures and a report from the radiologist back to your own doctor.

If your problem is not urgent, your doctor will receive the pictures and the radiologist’s report usually by the following day.

 

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