Comprehensive Details About
Ultrasound
Diagnostic ultrasound, also called sonography or diagnostic medical sonography, is an imaging method that uses sound waves to produce images of structures within your body. The images can provide valuable information for diagnosing and directing treatment for a variety of diseases and conditions.
Unlike x-rays, ultrasounds don’t use any radiation. An ultrasound can also show parts of the body in motion, such as a heart beating or blood flowing through blood vessels.
There are two main categories of ultrasounds: pregnancy ultrasound and diagnostic ultrasound.
- Pregnancy ultrasound is used to look at an unborn baby. The test can provide information about a baby’s growth, development, and overall health.
- Diagnostic ultrasound is used to view and provide information about other internal parts of the body. These include the heart, blood vessels, liver, bladder, kidneys, and female reproductive organs.
Why Do I Need an Ultrasound?
An ultrasound can be used in different ways, depending on the type of ultrasound and which part of the body is being checked.
A pregnancy ultrasound is done to get information about the health of an unborn baby. It may be used to:
- Confirm that you are pregnant.
- Check the size and position of the unborn baby.
- Check to see you are pregnant with more than one baby.
- Estimate how long you have been pregnant. This is known as gestational age.
- Check for signs of Down syndrome, which include thickening in the back of the baby’s neck.
- Check for birth defects in the brain, spinal cord, heart, or other parts of the body.
- Check the amount of amniotic fluid. Amniotic fluid is a clear liquid that surrounds an unborn baby during pregnancy. It protects the baby from outside injury and cold. It also helps promote lung development and bone growth.
In women, diagnostic ultrasound may be used to:
- Look at a breast lump to see if it might be cancer. (The test may also be used to check for breast cancer in men, though this type of cancer is far more common in women.)
- Help find the cause of pelvic pain.
- Help find the cause of abnormal menstrual bleeding.
- Help diagnose infertility or monitor infertility treatments.
What Happens During an Ultrasound?
Before the procedure
Before your ultrasound begins, you may be asked to do the following:
- Remove any jewelry from the area being examined.
- Remove or reposition some or all of your clothing.
- Change into a gown.
You’ll be asked to lie on an examination table.
During the procedure
Gel is applied to your skin over the area being examined. It helps prevent air pockets, which can block the sound waves that create the images. This safe, water-based gel is easy to remove from skin and, if needed, clothing.
A trained technician (sonographer) presses a small, hand-held device (transducer) against the area being studied and moves it as needed to capture the images. The transducer sends sound waves into your body, collects the ones that bounce back and sends them to a computer, which creates the images.
Sometimes, ultrasounds are done inside your body. In this case, the transducer is attached to a probe that’s inserted into a natural opening in your body. Examples include:
- Transvaginal ultrasound. A special transducer is gently inserted into the vagina to look at the uterus and ovaries.
How Do I Prepare for an Ultrasound?
Most ultrasound exams require no preparation. However, there are a few exceptions:
- For some scans, such as a gallbladder ultrasound, your care provider may ask that you not eat or drink for a certain period of time before the exam.
- Others, such as a pelvic ultrasound, may require a full bladder. Your doctor will let you know how much water you need to drink before the exam. Do not urinate until the exam is done.
- Young children may need additional preparation. When scheduling an ultrasound for yourself or your child, ask your doctor if there are any specific instructions you’ll need to follow.
After your ultrasound at VERITAS OBGYN is complete, you might be asked to sit and wait for your doctor to review your images to ensure they have all of the information they need. Your entire ultrasound appointment takes anywhere from 30-60 minutes.
Our Specialists
Virginia Elizabeth Mclean, MD, FACOG
Dr. Virginia McLean, MD is an Obstetrics & Gynecology Specialist in New York, NY. Her office accepts telehealth appointments.
Dr. Mclean graduated from the Medical University of South Carolina College of Medicine in 2014. She works in Port Jefferson Station, NY and 8 other locations and specializes in Obstetrics & Gynecology.
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