Pelvic Ultrasound
and Transvaginal Ultrasound
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What is the
test?
Ultrasound uses sound waves instead of radiation
to generate snapshots or moving pictures of structures
inside the body. This imaging technique works
in a manner similar to radar and sonar, developed
in World War II to detect airplanes, missiles,
and submarines that were otherwise invisible.
After coating your skin with a lubricant to reduce
friction, a radiologist or ultrasound technician
places an ultrasound transducer, which looks
like a microphone, on your skin and may rub it
back and forth to get the right view. The transducer
sends sound waves into your body and picks up
the echoes of the sound waves as they bounce
off internal organs and tissue. A computer transforms
these echoes into an image that is displayed
on a monitor.
Pelvic organ ultrasound is used to monitor pregnancy,
find cysts on your ovaries, examine the lining
of your uterus, look for causes of infertility,
and find cancers or benign tumors in the pelvic
region. Depending on the view needed, the ultrasound
sensor is placed either on your abdomen (pelvic
ultrasound) or in your vagina (transvaginal ultrasound).
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How
do I prepare for the test?
Your doctor might ask you to drink a few glasses
of water before the test because a full bladder
lifts your intestines out of the way and provides
a clearer view of your pelvic organs. If you're
having a transvaginal ultrasound and have a tampon
in place, you'll need to remove it before the
test.
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What
happens when the test is performed?
You lie on your back on a table for the test.
For a pelvic ultrasound, after squirting some
clear jelly onto your lower abdomen to help the
ultrasound sensor slide around easily, a doctor
or technician places the sensor against your
skin. For a transvaginal ultrasound, the doctor
or technician covers a sensor with a condom and
some jelly before inserting it into your vagina.When
the sensor is in place, a picture will appear
on a video screen. The technician or doctor moves
the sensor on your abdomen or in your vagina
to see the uterus and ovaries from many different
views.
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What
risks are there from the test?
None.
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Must
I do anything special after the test is over?
No.
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How
long is it before the result of the test is
known?
If a doctor does the test, you might be able
to get preliminary results immediately; this
will not be possible if a technician performs
the test.Whether a doctor or technician performs
the test, he or she records it on a videotape
so that it can be formally reviewed by a radiologist.
Your doctor should receive the radiologist's
report in a day or two.
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