Ultrasound Abdominal

Abdominal ultrasounds are performed to view structures within the abdominal area.  The organs evaluated during the abdominal ultrasound are: liver, gallbladder and biliary tract, pancreas, spleen, bowel, abdominal wall, and kidneys.

The indications for an ultrasound of the abdomen include but not limited to:

• Abdominal pain,
• Palpable abnormalities (mass or organomegaly),
• Signs and symptoms indicating problem in that region (jaundice or hematuria),
• Abnormal blood pathology referring to that region (liver function tests),
• Follow up appointments,
• Suspected congenital abnormalities,
• Abdominal trauma,
• Pre and post transplant evaluation,
• Used as a guidance or planning procedure,
• Detect and locate of free fluid ,
• Detection of metastatic disease or occult primary neoplasm,
• Hypertrophic pyloric stenosis,
• Evaluation of a urinary tract.

You will need to fast for 6 to 8 hour for a standard abdominal ultrasound.

NOTE: Renal tract examinations include bladder and prostate. Renal tract examinations require a full bladder.

You will be required to remove clothing from your abdominal area and, in some cases you may be required to change into a hospital gown.

Once in the ultrasound room the sonographer will apply gel to your abdomen and move an instrument called a transducer over your abdomen to obtain images. The images that this takes will appear on a screen. Once the sonographer is satisfied with the accuracy of the images the examination is over.

The specialised doctor will carefully analyse your images and make a report to your referring doctor. If the referring doctor is in the hospital they will be able to access the results on the computer. If you are an out-patient then a disc of images can be made available.