Your doctor has requested that an ultrasound exam be performed on your pelvis. Please follow these instructions so that we may better serve you.
An ultrasound machine produces a picture of your body using sound waves. A blunt device called a probe is placed on your skin.
- You may eat and drink anything you like on the day of your exam.
- 2 hours before your scheduled appointment time you should start drinking 1 quart of clear liquid [i.e. soda, water, juice or coffee].
- The liquid should be finished 1 hour before the exam.
- Once you have started drinking, you should not empty your bladder.
- You may experience some discomfort when your bladder fills. Unfortunately, we need you to have a full bladder for this exam.
- Report to Radiology approximately 20 minutes before your scheduled time if you have not been contacted by the Admitting Office.
- This exam will take approximately 15 minutes if your bladder is full. [It will take longer if we have to wait for your bladder to fill].
- Please let the technologist/receptionist know if your bladder feels too full to tolerate. They will try to make you as comfortable as possible.
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How to Prepare for Your Ultrasound
For the most accurate results, it is important to know how to prepare for your particular type of ultrasound:
Abdominal Ultrasound Preparation
- Eat a low fat dinner on the evening before the examination- [no fried, fatty or greasy foods and no dairy products]
- Nothing to eat or drink for 12 hours prior to your appointment
- If there are medications that you must take, only drink a small amount of water when taking the medications
Pelvic Ultrasound Preparation
- Eat all meals as usual on the day of the exam
- Take all medications that you generally take, including fluid pills
- Drink 32 ounces of fluid [water, juice or soda] within 15 minutes, one hour prior to your appt time.
- Do not empty your bladder prior to having this exam [bladder must be full]
Pregnancy/Obstetrical Ultrasound Preparation
- You do not need to fast for this exam [eat all meals as usual on the day of the exam]
- Take all medications as usual
- Drink 32 ounces of fluid [water, juice or soda] within 15 minutes, one hour prior to your appt time.
- Do not empty your bladder prior to having this exam [bladder must be full]
Kidney/Renal/Retroperitoneal Preparation
- You do not need to fast for this exam [eat all meals as usual on the day of the exam]
- Take all medications as usual
- Drink [3] 8 ounce glasses of fluid [water, juice or soda] one hour before your appointment
- Do not empty your bladder prior to having this exam [bladder must be full]
Ultrasound Guided Biopsy Preparation
- Do not take any aspirin or aspirin products, i.e. ibuprofen, motrin, advil, aleve, excedrin, bufferin, plavix or blood thinners including coumadin, heparin, for 5 days prior to having your procedure. Before stopping any medications, please consult your physician.
Ultrasound Guided Cyst Aspiration Preparation
- Do not take any aspirin or aspirin products, i.e. ibuprofen, motrin, advil, aleve, excedrin, bufferin, plavix or blood thinners including coumadin, heparin, for 3 days prior to having your procedure. Before stopping any medications, please consult your physician.
Your Doctor has recommended that you have an ultrasound examination.
In order to ensure that the ultrasound examination be as successful as possible, and that it gives your Doctor the maximum amount of information, please follow the relavent patient examination procedure highlighted below.
Abdominal Ultrasound examination
[Your Doctor may alternatively have asked for a scan of your 'Liver', 'Gall Bladder', 'Pancreas', 'Aorta' or 'Spleen']
Eat nothing for the 6 hours prior to your examination. You may drink water or fruit juice, if you wish.
If you are diabetic, you should continue to eat a fat free diet. i.e. no dairy products.
Abdominal & Pelvic Ultrasound Examination
[Your Doctor may alternatively have asked for a scan of your 'Kidneys' [Renal] or 'Kidneys and Bladder' [KUB]].
Eat nothing for the 6 hours prior to your examination.
You need to have a full bladder and should aim to drink at least 1 pint of water or clear fluids in the hour before your examination. Do not empty your bladder during this hour.
If you are diabetic, you should continue to eat a fat free diet. i.e. no dairy products.
Female Pelvic / Gynaecology Ultrasound Examination
[Your Doctor may alternatively have asked for a scan of your 'Uterus', 'Ovaries' or 'Bladder'].
You need to have a full bladder and should aim to drink at least 1 pint of water or clear fluids in the hour before your examination. Do not empty your bladder during this hour.
Part way through the examination, you may be sent to the toilet to empty your bladder and then a further scan undertaken. An internal [trans-vaginal] scan may be offered at this time, which provides greater clarity of the pelvic organs. If we proceed with this scan, a female chaperone will be in the examination room with you.
Male Pelvic Ultrasound Examination
[Your Doctor may alternatively have asked for a scan of your 'Prostate' or 'Bladder'].
You need to have a full bladder and should aim to drink at least 1 pint of water or clear fluids in the hour before your examination. Do not empty your bladder during this hour. Part way through the examination, you will be sent to the toilet to empty your bladder and then a further scan undertaken.
Testes, Thyroid, Neck, Lumps, or Musculo-Skeletal Ultrasound
No specific preparation is required and you can eat and drink as normal.
Click here to download a copy of the Beehive Solutions Patient Preparation leaflet
If you are unsure of the correct preparation
required,
either speak to your GP Surgery
or contact Beehive Solutions and ask for instructions
on 020 8550 9108 or 07961 192 192