Abdominal Ultrasound is next on your list. So, you have received a letter providing you with an ultrasound appointment for a scan of your abdomen. If this is your first time, it is understandable not to know what to expect. In this article, we’ll be able to give you some information on what you can expect to happen during your appointment. Your appointment experience may vary slightly based on the setup of the department you visit.
Disclaimer!
We’re sharing all the information here for advisory purposes only. Therefore, it should not replace your healthcare professional’s clinical actions or recommendations.
Where is the abdomen?
We commonly refer to the abdomen as the region between your chest and the area just above your genitals. The organs routinely examined here using ultrasound include your pancreas, abdominal aorta, liver, gallbladder, common bile duct, spleen, and kidneys.
Why?
There are diverse reasons why your doctor referred you for an abdominal ultrasound scan. The common ones usually include abdominal pain or your blood test revealing an abnormal reading that warrants further investigation. However, if you are still determining the reason for your referral, you can ask your sonographer/sonologist/radiologist when you arrive at the ultrasound department.
What is ultrasound?
Ultrasound uses high-frequency sound waves to visualize the internal anatomical organs. So far, ultrasound is considered a safe imaging modality as it does not utilize ionizing radiation. However, like all medical examinations, ultrasound is only provided if the referral is clinically justified.
This justification is determined mainly by the ultrasound department professionals receiving your clinical referral. Sometimes, the department can reject your ultrasound request if they believe the information is not entirely justifiable for an ultrasound. Also, they might think your clinical question can be better answered using a different test or scan. However, this justification is a detailed research-based process involving several relevant professional guidelines and departmental protocols.
Prior preparations
For an abdominal ultrasound, you will usually be required to fast for six (6) hours before your appointment. Meaning you can only take water. Unfortunately, no tea or coffee either. This instruction will generally have been included in your referral letter. Fasting helps keep our gallbladder nicely filled for the examination. It also helps reduce bowel content, including gas, which can cast shadows on vital aspects of the organs to be examined. If you have a condition that prevents you from fasting that long, like diabetes, you should contact your referring doctor or the ultrasound department that sent you the appointment.
Be punctual!
Aim to get to the department at least 10 minutes before your appointment. Trust me, we love early! This means you should have read and understood your referral before you leave home. This will help you know where to go, particularly if you are visiting a large hospital with various buildings like it commonly is in the National Health Service (NHS).
During your appointment
Now you have found the ultrasound department; well done! It’s time to approach the reception to get booked in. After which, take a seat at the designated area as instructed. If you need more clarification, please don’t hesitate to ask, mainly when multiple departments use a large waiting area. Just so you know, you want to attend your appointment in the correct waiting area. A colleague will call your name when they are ready to see you and ask you to go with them to the examination room.
In the ultrasound room
The sonographer will introduce themself and other colleague(s) in the examination room. This will usually be a healthcare assistant to help and act as a chaperone during the examination. A student or trainee might be in the examination room in a large teaching hospital. Please let the sonographer know if you feel uncomfortable having the trainee attend to you or have them in the room. However, a perk of being seen by a trainee is that you get examined by both the trainee and the sonographer in some cases, or at least your examination gets seen by two professionals rather than one.
During the examination
Ultrasound examinations cannot be performed through your clothes. Therefore, the sonographer will ask you to remove the required aspect of your clothing that can interfere with the test. In this case of the abdomen it includes your jacket/jumper/scarf if applicable.
After this, you will be asked to lie on your back facing the ceiling while exposing your tummy. This will require moving your top to your rib area and trousers/bottoms to your hips. A large piece of tissue will be tucked into your clothes to prevent the ultrasound gel from getting on your clothes. The sonographer will tell you about the gel and prepare you with some other instructions ahead of the examination.
The gel will be applied on the ultrasound device in the sonographer’s hand or your tummy. This might feel cold, but some departments might warm it up for you. It helps to breathe gently throughout your examination. However, the sonographer might ask you to take deep breaths in and hold your breath for a few seconds while they save some still images of your internal organs.
The sonographer might apply a slight amount of pressure on your abdomen. This is to get better contact between the ultrasound device and your organs. In some cases, the sonographer might ask you to turn onto your side and try to examine your organs between your ribs. If the pressure is too painful, please let the sonographer know. However, it is usually not painful but might be a little uncomfortable.
After your examination
The sonographer will let you know when the examination is completed. You will be asked to wipe off the gel from your tummy and to adjust your clothing. If you need it, you can use some privacy to dress appropriately. The sonographer will need to look at the images taken during the examination. This can take a few minutes after you’ve left the department. Therefore, do not expect to receive a result for your examination on the same day. However, before you leave the examination room, the sonographer will inform you when and how to expect your examination results. If you need clarification, ask the sonographer how to get your result.
The ultrasound gel is usually water-based; therefore, it might feel sticky on your skin after the examination. Do not worry; it does not usually stain your clothing and should dry off over time. You might have a shower when you get home to make you feel more comfortable because of the stickiness of the ultrasound gel.
Bringing it all together
Go on and get yourself a pleasant meal; you deserve it!
So far, we have discussed some essential explanations of what ultrasound is, what your abdomen is, and why you might have been referred to have an ultrasound of your abdomen. We have also highlighted what you can expect when you attend your appointment and what is required for your examination.
Please let us know of any other ultrasound-related topic you’d like to read from us. We will be happy to help.
