Ultrasound
We offer advanced ultrasound technology and a compassionate team of certified sonographers. We have two ultrasound rooms in the Women’s Center, allowing for greater privacy when performing breast procedures.
Visit our Ultrasound page for procedure information.
For most ultrasound exams, the patient is positioned lying face-up on an examination table that can be tilted or moved.
A clear gel is applied to the area of the body being studied to help the transducer make secure contact with the body and eliminate air pockets between the transducer and the skin. The sonographer (ultrasound technologist) then presses the transducer firmly against the skin and sweeps it back and forth over the area of interest.
Doppler sonography is performed using the same transducer.
When the examination is complete, the patient may be asked to dress and wait while the ultrasound images are reviewed. However, the sonographer is often able to review the ultrasound images in real-time as they are acquired and the patient can be released immediately.
In some ultrasound studies, the transducer is attached to a probe and inserted into a natural opening in the body. These exams include:
- Transvaginal ultrasound. The transducer is inserted into a woman's vagina to view the uterus and ovaries.
Most ultrasound examinations are completed within 30 minutes to an hour.
PIC offers the following ultrasound procedures, both general and doppler:
- Abdominal (includes gall bladder, liver, pancreas, spleen, kidney, and aorta)
- Aorta
- Biophysical profile
- Breast cyst aspiration - Download Instructional PDF, below.
- Ultrasound-guided breast biopsy - Download Instructional PDF, below.
- Hysterosonogram
- Infant hips/spine/neonatal
- Obstetric
- Pediatric
- Pelvic with transvaginal
- Renal/bladder
- Testicular
- Thyroid
- Thyroid biopsy/fine needle aspiration - Download Instructional PDF, below.
- Mesenteric, porta-hepatic, and renal arterial
- Venous/arterial doppler of the arms and legs
- Carotid
- Liver transplant, renal transplant
- Ankle Brachial Index (ABIs) - arterial legs
- Vein mapping of the arms and legs
While many ultrasound procedures require no preparation for our patients, some do. You should wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing for your ultrasound exam. You will need to remove all clothing and jewelry in the area to be examined.
You may be asked to wear a gown during the procedure.
Other preparation depends on the type of examination you will have. For some scans your doctor may instruct you not to eat or drink for as many as 12 hours before your appointment. For others you may be asked to drink up to six glasses of water two hours prior to your exam and avoid urinating so that your bladder is full when the scan begins.
Each preparation helps the technologist get the best possible images for review.
- Breast
- Carotid doppler
- Cranial
- Testicular
- Venous doppler arms/legs
- ABIs
- Arterial doppler of the arms/legs
- Groin
- Vein mapping
No eating or drinking (including water) after midnight the evening before these tests; includes no smoking or chewing gum.
- Abdominal
- Aorta
- Liver transplant
- Mesenteric doppler
- Porta-hepatic doppler
- Renal arterial doppler
- Renal transplant
- Pelvis or OB ultrasound
One and one-half hours before the exam, start drinking 32 ounces of water (about four cups). Complete drinking water about one hour prior to the scheduled exam. Do not urinate until after the test.
Drink plenty of clear liquids the day before the exam. The day of the exam, drink 24 ounces (about three cups) of water. Complete drinking water about 30 minutes prior to the scheduled exam. Do not urinate until after the test.
Images from the ultrasound exam are reviewed and interpreted by a PIC radiologist, who will dictate a report, which is transcribed and sent to the healthcare provider who ordered the exam. This is usually accomplished within three days after the exam.
The sonographer is not able to render a diagnosis based on what they see in the exam room. Patients should contact their healthcare provider for the results of their ultrasound exam.
A CD of the exam can be burned and kept at the front desk for pickup by the patient or ordering clinician. Please contact the File Room at 907-212-3144 for more information.
