Hysterosalpingogram

Hysterosalpingogram is used to visualise the cervical canal, uterine cavity, and fallopian tubes.

You will need to ring to book an appointment when a new menstrual cycle (period) has begun. You will be scheduled an appointment 6-10 days after the commencement of your menstrual cycle. You will need to refrain from sexual intercourse until after your appointment.

Preparation

It is important to inform a member of staff as soon as possible if you are pregnant or suspect you are pregnant BEFORE the test is performed. The examination may not be appropriate or special considerations or precautions might need to be taken.

It is advised to bring a sanitary pad with you to your appointment as slight bleeding can occur after the procedure. You can take 1-2 Nurofen 1 hour before the appointment as you may feel a little discomfort after the procedure.

Procedure

You will be asked to remove clothing from the waist down (including underwear) and place a gown on.

You will need to lie on the table and once the doctor is ready place your legs in the 'frogs' position. A screen will be placed around you to give you more privacy. The doctor will insert a speculum (like during a pap smear). A cannula is placed in the cervix and warmed contrast is slowly injected (5-10mls) over 1 minute and images are obtained.

Once the doctor is happy with the images, you will be free to get dressed and leave.
You may experience slight discomfort or pain after the procedure and can take over the counter pain medication if needed.

For safety reasons there cannot be anyone in the room during the procedure and relatives must wait outside. A radiographer will be behind the glass window a short distance away watching the patient at all times during the scan should there be any concerns.

Results

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 their computer. If you are an out-patient and require a copy of the images then a disc of images can be made available within 5 working days after the scan.