Pelvic Ultrasound: How It Is Done

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How It Is Done

This test is done by a doctor who performs imaging tests (radiologist) or by an ultrasound technologist (sonographer). It is done in an ultrasound room in a hospital, clinic, or doctor's office.

You will need to remove any jewelry that might be in the way of the ultrasound. You will need to take off most of your clothes below the waist. You will be given a gown to use during the test.

You will lie on your back (or on your side) on a padded table. Gel will be put on your belly to improve the quality of the sound waves. A small, handheld instrument called a transducer is gently moved over your belly. A picture of the organs and blood vessels can be seen on a video screen.

You need to lie very still while the ultrasound is being done. You may be asked to take a breath and hold it for several seconds during the test.

Pelvic ultrasound takes about 30 minutes. You may be asked to wait until the radiologist has looked at the pictures. The radiologist may want to do more pictures.

Transabdominal ultrasound

You will need to drink 4 to 6 glasses of juice or water about an hour before the test. Do not empty your bladder until the test is over. If you cannot drink enough fluid, your bladder may be filled with water through a thin flexible tube (catheter) inserted into your bladder.

When the test is done, the gel is cleaned off your skin. You can urinate as soon as the test is done. See a picture of a transabdominal ultrasound .

Transrectal ultrasound

You will be asked to lie on your left side with your knees bent. A digital rectal examination will be done before the ultrasound test. Then a lubricated transducer probe will be gently inserted into your rectum. It will slowly be moved to take pictures from different angles. You may feel some pressure. Water may be put into your rectum to clean the end of the transducer so that clear pictures can be seen.

See a picture of a transrectal ultrasound .

Transvaginal ultrasound

For transvaginal ultrasound, you will empty your bladder. You will be asked to lie on your back with your hips slightly raised.

A thin, lubricated transducer probe will be gently inserted into your vagina. Only the tip of the transducer is put in the vagina. You need to lie very still while the ultrasound scan is being done.

Transvaginal ultrasound may give more information than transabdominal ultrasound for women who:

• Are very overweight.
• Are being checked or treated for infertility.
• Have a hard time with a full bladder.
• Have a lot of gas in the intestines. This makes it harder for your doctor to see all the organs in the pelvis.

Transvaginal ultrasound often makes a clearer picture than transabdominal ultrasound because the transducer probe gets closer to the organs being viewed. But transvaginal ultrasound looks at a smaller area than transabdominal ultrasound.

In rare cases, sterile saline is put in the uterus through a thin tube (catheter), to allow the doctor to look at the inside of the uterus (hysterosonogram).

See a picture of a transvaginal ultrasound .

Last updated:	June 22, 2007
Author:	Maria G. Essig, MS, ELS
Reviewed By:	Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine, Paul D. Traughber, MD - Radiology
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Pat Truman, MATC