Pelvic and Abdomen Ultrasound Scan
ABDOMINAL AND PELVIC ULTRASOUND SCAN
This particular scan is to examine your pelvis area including the uterus, ovaries, endometrial, and tubes, and to check your abdominal organs such
Liver
Gall Bladder
Pancreas
Spleen
Kidneys
Appendix
Urinary Tract
Bladder
Biliary systems
We can also examine the blood vessels that lead to some of the organs, like the portal vein and aorta.
Please follow the following instructions for your upcoming abdomen and pelvic ultrasound scan.
PREPARATION
For the abdominal scan, you must starve for 6 hours prior to your appointment. You may drink water or other non-fizzy drinks, black tea or coffee, or fruit juice. Please DO NOT drink milk, any drinks which contain milk or fizzy drinks as this may affect the images. If you are diabetic, we advise you to have the earliest appointment if possible. Do not follow these instructions if they conflict with your doctor’s instructions. Please take your regular medications as normal. If you are unsure, please contact us on 0121 392 3112 or your doctor for further advice.
For the pelvic scan, you must attend with a full bladder. It is advisable to drink about 1½ to 2 pints of clear fluid an hour prior to the appointment. When your bladder is correctly filled you will feel the need to urinate. If it becomes painful, it means that it may be too full, and you may partially empty if you can.
ARRIVING FOR YOUR APPOINTMENT
Please arrive 5 to 10 minutes before your actual appointment time as it may not be possible to scan you if you are late, resulting in your payment being forfeited as per our payment and refund policy. CHILDREN ARE NOT PERMITTED IN THE EXAM ROOM.
THE EXAMINATION
In the examination room, you will be asked to lie on a couch. The sonographer performing the scan will ask you to expose your abdomen and gel will be applied over, it may feel cold. The sonographer will move gently an ultrasound probe over your upper and lower abdomen to assess and acquire images. Unless the area being examined is tender, the examination is not painful.
For better visualisation of your uterus and ovaries, a transvaginal scan will be performed with your consent. This can still be done even during your period. After the transabdominal scan, you will be asked to empty your bladder and return to the ultrasound examination room.
You will be asked to take off your pants and lie down on a couch on top of a wedge cushion. The sonographer will always ensure your lower body will be covered with a sheet to ensure your dignity. A chaperone will always be available in the scan room. Your decision/choice not to have a chaperone will be respected.
An ultrasound probe will be covered with a disposable latex or non-latex sheath and lubricated with gel. (Please let the sonographer know if you are allergic to latex). The probe will then be placed into the vagina to obtain images of the pelvic area, particularly the ovaries and uterus. The exam may be uncomfortable but not painful. With your consent the images will come up on a big screen television in front of you so that you can see all the structures that are being examined.
We do not perform transvaginal examinations on children or on persons who have never been sexually active. If you do not wish to have an internal examination performed, you can discuss this with the sonographer when you come for your scan.
Your decision/choice will be respected. However, there will be limitations to the quality of images obtained without performing a transvaginal examination. Both examinations may take up to 30 or 40 minutes, depending on individual circumstances.
AFTER THE EXAMINATION
Once the scan is finished the sonographer will give you a chance to get dressed/clean up and then ask any questions you may have. Ultrasound cannot diagnose illness and disease alone and we can only recommend what next steps to take. Do not be alarmed if the sonographer recommends speaking to your GP or doctor, however it is important to follow this advice.
YOUR RESULTS
The sonographer will briefly explain any findings after the scan and will let you know if they advise a follow-up with your GP or doctor. The report will be sent to the doctor who referred you for the scan on the same day. If you referred yourself, your report will be sent on the same day to the email address you have provided. Please check your junk/spam folder. The report will contain all of the sonographer’s findings and whether a follow-up is necessary. If we refer you straight to outpatients, you will be able to take your report with you.
Produced: July 22
Review Date: July 23
Version : 2.0