Diagnostic Ultrasound of the Abdomen
En Español (Spanish Version)
An ultrasound examines organs or tissue inside the body. Sound waves are used to make an image. If a
Doppler ultrasound
is done, the doctor can see blood flow in the vessels.
Abdominal Ultrasound
© 2011 Nucleus Medical Media, Inc.
An ultrasound is used to find problems inside the abdominal cavity. It can show organs and movement. An ultrasound is most often done for the following reasons:
- To diagnose an injury or disease
- To help determine the cause of abdominal pain
-
To identify
gallbladder stones
or
kidney stones
- To assess masses in the abdomen
- To help determine why an internal organ is enlarged
- To examine the baby and womb in pregnant women
- To evaluate changes or problems in the blood vessels
In most cases, there are no complications with this test.
Your doctor may do the following:
- Physical exam
- Blood or urine tests
In some cases, your doctor may instruct you to:
- Fast for 8-12 hours before the test. This will decrease the amount of gas in your intestines and make your organs easier to see.
- Have a full bladder before the test. You may need to drink six or more glasses of water without going to the bathroom.
You will lie on a table. Your doctor will put gel on your stomach. The gel helps the sound waves travel between the machine and your body.
The ultrasound machine has a hand-held instrument called a transducer, which looks like a microphone or wand. The transducer is pushed against your skin where the gel has been applied. The transducer sends sound waves into your body. The waves bounce off your internal organs and echo back to the transducer. The echoes are converted into images that are shown on a screen. The doctor examines the images on the screen. He may also make a photograph of them.
You may be asked to change positions or hold your breath during the exam.
The gel will be cleaned off your abdomen. You will be able to leave after the test is done. You will be able to return to your normal activities.
30 minutes
No. But, if you have a full bladder during the test, you may feel uncomfortable.
The images are looked at by doctors. A report will be given to your doctor. Based on the results, you and your doctor will talk about more tests and treatment options.
After the test, call your doctor if the symptoms you had before the test become worse.
In case of an emergency, call for medical help right away.
Association for Medical Ultrasound
Last Reviewed September 2011