Abdominal ultrasounds to help your doctor see the organs and structures inside the abdomen. Ultrasounds are safe and painless. More and more ultrasounds are performed in the United States every year. One study found that their numbers grew by 4 percent every year from to Ultrasound images are captured in real time.
This test is the most commonly used one to view and examine the fetus in pregnant women, but it has many other clinical uses as well. Abdominal ultrasounds are used to check the major organs in the abdominal cavity. These organs include the gallbladder, kidneys, liver, pancreas, and spleen. If your doctor suspects you have any one of these other conditions, an abdominal ultrasound may be in your near future:.
Learn more: Abdominal lump ». Abdominal ultrasounds may also be used to help guide your doctor during certain procedures. For instance:. An abdominal ultrasound has no risks. Unlike X-rays or CT scans , ultrasounds use no radiation, which is why doctors prefer to use them with to check on developing babies in pregnant women.
Fetal ultrasound imaging provides real-time images of the fetus. Though the pictures can be exciting keepsakes for parents-to-be, the U.
Food and Drug Administration advises parents to have ultrasound scans only when there is a specific medical need. Ultrasound can heat tissues in the abdomen slightly. In some cases, it can make very small bubbles in some tissues. Read more: Pregnancy ultrasound ».
To get these images, a device called a transducer is placed on your abdomen. Procedure Your examination will be done by a sonographer , who will introduce themselves and confirm your identity and the procedure you are having. Before your Scan You are required to fast not eat or drink for 6 hours before the exam.
Please also refrain from smoking. You can take your usual medication with a small amount of water. Duration Approximately 20 — 30 minutes. Print page. Are you ready to make your Ultrasound appointment? Our online booking platform allows you to quickly and easily make an appointment online. The images can also show blood flowing through blood vessels. An abdominal ultrasound produces a picture of the organs and other structures in the upper abdomen.
Doppler ultrasound is a special ultrasound technique that evaluates movement of materials in the body. It allows the doctor to see and evaluate blood flow through arteries and veins in the body.
Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing. You may need to remove all clothing and jewelry in the area to be examined. Ultrasound machines consist of a computer console, video monitor and an attached transducer. The transducer is a small hand-held device that resembles a microphone.
Some exams may use different transducers with different capabilities during a single exam. The transducer sends out inaudible, high-frequency sound waves into the body and listens for the returning echoes.
The same principles apply to sonar used by boats and submarines. The technologist applies a small amount of gel to the area under examination and places the transducer there. The gel allows sound waves to travel back and forth between the transducer and the area under examination. The ultrasound image is immediately visible on a video monitor.
The computer creates the image based on the loudness amplitude , pitch frequency , and time it takes for the ultrasound signal to return to the transducer. Ultrasound imaging uses the same principles as the sonar that bats, ships, and fishermen use.
When a sound wave strikes an object, it bounces back or echoes. By measuring these echo waves, it is possible to determine how far away the object is as well as its size, shape, and consistency. This includes whether the object is solid or filled with fluid. Doctors use ultrasound to detect changes in the appearance of organs, tissues, and vessels and to detect abnormal masses, such as tumors.
In an ultrasound exam, a transducer both sends the sound waves and records the echoing returning waves. When the transducer is pressed against the skin, it sends small pulses of inaudible, high-frequency sound waves into the body. As the sound waves bounce off internal organs, fluids and tissues, the sensitive receiver in the transducer records tiny changes in the sound's pitch and direction.
A computer instantly measures these signature waves and displays them as real-time pictures on a monitor. The technologist typically captures one or more frames of the moving pictures as still images. They may also save short video loops of the images. Doppler ultrasound, a special ultrasound technique, measures the direction and speed of blood cells as they move through vessels. The movement of blood cells causes a change in pitch of the reflected sound waves called the Doppler effect.
A computer collects and processes the sounds and creates graphs or color pictures that represent the flow of blood through the blood vessels. For most ultrasound exams, you will lie face-up on an exam table that can be tilted or moved. Patients may turn to either side to improve the quality of the images. The radiologist a doctor specifically trained to supervise and interpret radiology exams or sonographer will position you on the exam table.
They will apply a water-based gel to the area of the body under examination. The gel will help the transducer make secure contact with the body. It also eliminates air pockets between the transducer and the skin that can block the sound waves from passing into your body.
The sonographer places the transducer on the body and moves it back and forth over the area of interest until it captures the desired images. There is usually no discomfort from pressure as they press the transducer against the area being examined. However, if the area is tender, you may feel pressure or minor pain from the transducer. Once the imaging is complete, the technologist will wipe off the clear ultrasound gel from your skin. Any portions that remain will dry quickly.
The ultrasound gel does not usually stain or discolor clothing.
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