Abdomen

ABDOMINAL ULTRASOUND

Ultrasound technology allows quick visualization of the abdominal organs and structures from outside the body. Ultrasound may also be used to assess blood flow to abdominal organs. The person who performs the ultrasound exam is called a sonographer.

Any prior preparation, such as 8-12 hour fasting , will be determined by the specific area to be examined.   When you schedule your appointment, the clinic personnel will give you instructions if required.

You will be asked to remove any clothing, jewelry, or other objects that may interfere with the scan.  If asked to remove clothing, you will be given a gown to wear or draped with a sheet. The patient lies on their back on an examination bed. A water-soluble gel is applied to the skin to help the ultrasound transducer (wand) move smoothly over the skin and produce better images (at CURE Diagnostics we warm the gel before applying).  The sonographer will gently press the transducer on your abdomen and move it back and forth to image the organ or structure of interest.  You may be asked to take deep breaths or lay on your side during the examination to allow better visualization of the area of interest.  If blood flow is being assessed, you may hear a “whoosh, whoosh” sound when the Doppler probe is used.  Once the procedure has been completed, the gel will be wiped off.

The organs and structures viewed and documented during an abdominal ultrasound are the:

  1. Liver
  2. Gallbladder
  3. Common bile duct
  4. Pancreas
  5. Kidneys
  6. Abdominal Aorta
  7. Spleen

The acquired images (sonograms) are interpreted by a registered diagnostic medical sonographer then sent to a board-certified radiologist for creation of a diagnostic ultrasound report detailing your results and diagnosis.