An ultrasound is a safe, painless diagnostic imaging procedure that does not use radiation. Ultrasound utilises high frequency sound waves to produce real time diagnostic images of the soft tissues within the body. An ultrasound is performed using a hand held device called a transducer, which is moved across the body part of interest in order to acquire the images. The transducer transmits sound waves into the body and then they are reflected back to the transducer from the different tissues within the body. The ultrasound machine converts the reflected sound waves into an image of the body part being scanned.
At the start of your ultrasound, the sonographer will welcome you into the ultrasound room and introduce themselves. They will confirm your details and ask you a few questions about the reason for your scan. The procedure will be explained to you and you will have the opportunity to ask questions if you have any. You will be asked to take a seat or lie down on the scanning bed and expose the area of the body to be scanned. A gown or sheet will be provided for privacy if required. A water based gel will be placed on the skin and the transducer will move over the skin while images are being acquired. You may be asked to perform different manoeuvres during your scan to improve the quality of the images. Such manoeuvres might include holding your breath or changing your position on the bed. An ultrasound is not a painful examination. If you experience any discomfort during your scan please inform the sonographer and they will make an attempt to make it more comfortable for you.
Occasionally the radiologist will also attend the examination. This enables them to view the images in real time. They may also ask questions about your symptoms.