Ultrasound is a safe, painless and radiation free examination technique using high frequency sound waves to produce still and live pictures of internal organs and systems. With all ultrasound exams, a handheld microphone like device a transducer is scanned over the part of the body being examined. As the sound waves make contact with blood, tissue and bone, portions of the waves ”echo” back to the transducer. The echoes are then analyzed by a computer to form continuous real-time images and videos.
Your examination (scan) will be performed by a Radiologist or by a Sonologist. They will start by asking you some brief questions about your medical history, current symptoms and you will be asked to lie down on a the table and apply a clear water soluble gel to the part of the body to be examined. The gel helps the sound waves travel from the ultrasound machine through the skin, down to the tissues that are the target of the study. After applying the gel, the sonologist will guide the transducer – a handheld instrument – slowly across your skin while watching a continuous image on a computer screen.
You may feel some mild discomfort during examination.
Preparation Instruction for following ultrasound exams
Ultrasound Upper Abdomen: Do not eat or drink for 8 hours prior to the examination.
Ultrasound Abdomen Together with Urinary Bladder or Pelvis (trans abdominal): Do not eat or drink for eight hours prior to the examination. Sixty minutes before your scan, drink five (200ml) glass of water to have adequately filled urinary bladder. You have to hold urine till your examination done.
Urinary Bladder, Pelvis (trans abdominal), OBs: This examination must be done with a very full urinary bladder. Sixty minutes before your scan, drink five (200ml) glass of water to have adequately filled urinary bladder. You have to hold urine till your examination done.
No preparation is required for the following exams: Growth, Viability, Nuchal Translucency, Anomaly, Pelvis (Trans vaginal), Biophysical Profile, Thyroid, Eye, Brain, Chest, Breast, Neck, Parotid, Testis, Prostate, Hips, Shoulder, Knee. Doppler Neck, Legs, Arms, Gynae.
After an ultrasound examination, you should be able to resume your normal activities immediately.
Do not smoke or chew gum prior (ultrasound abdomen only) as they can increase stomach gas.
Please bring all relevant prior examination films or studies (CT, MRI, ultrasound, x-rays, etc.) with you on the day of your exam.