Pelvic ultrasound (transabdominal)
What you need to know about pelvic ultrasound (transabdominal)
Ultrasound of the female genital organs (abdominal) is a modern ultrasound diagnosis of diseases of the female reproductive system. Transabdominal ultrasound is performed using a sensor on the anterior wall of the peritoneum. Such screening helps to determine the structure of the pelvic organs, identify pathologies or confirm their absence.
Ultrasound can be used to determine the shape and size of the uterus, the location of the ovaries, the size of the follicles, the condition of the cervix, the thickness and condition of the endometrium, and determine the presence of cystic neoplasms.
Indications for ultrasound
- Preventive examination of the condition of female genital organs
- Menstrual cycle failure
- Amenorrhea
- Lower abdominal pain
- Pregnancy
- Suspicion of neoplasm
- Polycystic ovary syndrome
- Inflammatory processes
- Exclusion of abnormalities in uterine development
Preparation for pelvic examination (abdominal)
There is no special preparation for ultrasound procedures.
Adults are advised to drink about 1 liter of water or other fluid an hour before the transabdominal examination. Children should be given water to drink 20 minutes before the ultrasound. Do not urinate before the procedure.
If the doctor has prescribed an ultrasound due to pregnancy, you can drink a small amount of water (up to 0.5 liters) an hour before the examination.
Ultrasound examination of the pelvic organs
It is recommended to have an ultrasound of the pelvic organs on the 5th day after the end of menstruation, so that the results of the examination are more accurate and not distorted by the thickening of the endometrium during menstruation. Because of this, small neoplasms may go unnoticed.
Depending on the disease, the doctor prescribes the type of ultrasound. But a clearer picture can be seen only using combined diagnostics, which includes transvaginal and transabdominal diagnostics.