Ultrasound Procedures and Exams

Abdominal
Neck/Thyroid
Pelvic
Obstetrical
Venous/Arterial
Musculosketal

Pelvic ultrasound (US) is most often used on women to examine the uterus and ovaries. Ultrasound shows these organs well, and evaluates the blood flow within these organs, and in the adjacent arteries and veins. Pelvic ultrasound is used to evaluate causes of pelvic pain, abnormal bleeding, or other menstrual problems. Ultrasound also helps to define masses that your physician may discover during a pelvic examination.

In pelvic ultrasound, the machine sends high frequency sound waves into the body. These waves bounce off tissues and are recorded and displayed as an image. Ultrasound does not use any radiation or X-ray.

In men, pelvic ultrasound is used to evaluate the bladder and prostate gland.

HOW TO PREPARE FOR YOUR EXAM

Wear comfortable clothing for your ultrasound examination. Most pelvic ultrasounds for women are done by inserting a small transducer into the vagina. For this exam your bladder should be empty. Please do not bring children with you as they get bored and may disrupt the exam.

For children and for women for whom a vaginal examination is painful, the study can be done by firmly placing the transducer on the abdomen. For these abdominal scans, you should drink several glasses of water before the exam so that your bladder is as full as possible before the study begins. A full bladder helps to better see the uterus, ovaries and bladder.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN DURING YOUR EXAM

Ultrasound imaging is painless, fast and easy. You will lie on your back, or side, on the examining table. The sonographer will spread gel on your skin and place the transducer firmly against your body. They will move the transducer to obtain the appropriate images. The examination usually takes 45-60 minutes.

THE ULTRASOUND MACHINE

The Ultrasound machine has a transducer, which is a small hand-held device which looks like a microphone. The sonographer will put a clear, water-soluble, lubricating gel on your skin and firmly press the transducer against the skin.

The ultrasound image is then seen on a computer screen attached to the machine. The sonographer watches this screen during this examination. During the examination, they will "freeze" the images on the screen and save images, which will be evaluated by the radiologist.

Ultrasound is based on the same principles as sonar used by ships, bats or fishermen with fish detectors. As the sound waves go through the body, the waves bounce back, or "echo," back to the transducer. A very fast computer in the ultrasound machine interprets how far away the tissue is that caused the echo, its size, shape and consistency (such as fluid or solid). It then turns this information into the pictures you see on the monitor.

Most of the images are of varying shades of gray. These are "2-D" images that show anatomy. Images also can be obtained with Doppler, which detects movement in the tissues, particularly in blood. These Doppler images can be shown on the computer either as color Doppler pictures or as duplex Doppler pictures. Duplex Doppler shows us white waves, and is usually associated with listening to the waves at the same time, which often gives a rhythmic whooshing sound.

For more information on pelvic US, please visit www.radiologyinfo.org/content/ultrasound-pelvis.htm