Overview

Ultrasound uses high frequency sound waves to create an image of an area of the body. 

This is a widely used diagnostic test to examine the abdominal organs (liver, kidneys, pancreas, gallbladder, spleen and aorta) and soft tissues of the body. 

An abdominal ultrasound scan can help to find the cause of a problem and can also be used to monitor an existing condition. 

The ultrasound is carried out by a sonographer or radiologist, both are trained professionals in this type of scan. 

How to prepare

If you have type 1 diabetes you should have an early morning appointment. If your appointment is for a later time, please contact us to change the time of your scan.

You need to fast for 6 hours before your appointment. 

• Do not eat any food. 
• You can drink clear fluids. 
• Do not have any drinks containing milk, any fizzy drinks or alcohol.

You can continue to take any medicines prescribed by your doctor.

You should wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing for your scan.

If you need a hoist (piece of medical equipment to help lift or move you safely), transport or a translator, please contact the radiology department.

Risks

An abdominal ultrasound scan is a very safe procedure with no side effects.

Other treatment options

Depending on your signs and symptoms, there may be other tests available such as a CT scan or an MRI scan. If there is a more suitable examination we will contact your doctor. It may be necessary to have another type of diagnostic scan as well as your abdominal ultrasound scan to help with the diagnosis of your problem.

Giving your permission (consent)

The sonographer or radiologist will ask you if you are happy for the scan to go ahead. This is called verbal consent to check that you are booked for the correct scan. 

If you do not wish to have the scan or are undecided, please tell us. You can ask any questions before, during or after your scan. It is your decision and you can change your mind at any time. However not having the scan may delay your diagnosis as the doctors may not have all of the information that they need. 

You can read more about our consent process.

During an abdominal ultrasound scan

The scan usually takes between 10 and 20 minutes. 

While we try to make sure that appointment times are kept, sometimes emergencies may need to take priority. We will inform you of any delays. Please be patient, but feel free to ask staff if you think you have been overlooked. 

You should allow 1 hour in total for your appointment.

• You will be asked to lie down on a couch and remove any clothing from your torso (the main part of the body). 
• We will use paper tissue to cover your clothing to protect it from the gel.
• Ultrasound gel is placed onto the area being examined and a small handheld probe is placed over this gel, which helps to move the probe across the torso. 
• You may be asked to breathe in and hold your breath a number of times. 
• You may also be asked to turn onto your side so that we can get views from multiple angles. 
• Once the scan is completed, we will give you tissue to wipe away the gel and you can put your clothes back on.
• The lights in the room will be dimmed so that the pictures on the screen can be seen more clearly. 
• Selected images will be recorded so that they can be viewed later. 

Pain

Unless you are already in pain due to your symptoms, an abdominal ultrasound scan does not cause any pain.

Results

Your scan will be reviewed and most often reported on the same day. The results will be sent back to your doctor who will discuss the report with you.

If your referring doctor is your GP then you should make an appointment for 2 weeks after your scan to discuss the results.

If your referring doctor is a consultant at Guy’s and St Thomas’ then you should have an outpatient appointment arranged. If not, please contact them to arrange a time to talk about the results and any treatment you may need.