What is an Abdominal Ultrasound Scan?
Ultrasound of the abdomen is a non-invasive and painless procedure that uses sound waves to produce images of the organs and other structures within the abdomen. Ultrasound is safe and does not use ionizing radiation.
These images help diagnose and evaluate disease conditions of the abdominal aorta, kidneys, liver, gallbladder, bile ducts, pancreas, and spleen.
An abdominal ultrasound scan is used to diagnose conditions like-
- Abdominal pain
- Abnormal liver function
- Enlarged abdominal organ
- Kidney stones
- Gallstones
- Abdominal aortic aneurysm
How Does Abdominal Ultrasound Work?
During an abdominal ultrasound, high-frequency sound waves capture images of the inside of the body. A computer connected to this receives these waves to capture images.
Ultrasound captures images in real time, showing the structure and movement of the body’s internal organs and helps view the blood flowing through blood vessels.
What To Expect During The Procedure?
An ultrasound scan abdomen is a simple and safe procedure and usually requires little preparation. The exact preparation depends on the nature of the problem that needs to be evaluated.
- You may be advised to fast before the scan or may be asked to drink water before the scan.
- You are required to lie flat on an examination table before the procedure starts. The procedure involves using a transducer- a wand-like device that sends high-frequency sound waves into your body.
- Before the scan, a gel is applied to the abdomen that helps the wand move easily and helps sound waves pass through the abdomen more efficiently.
- The transducer is then moved around the abdomen area that needs to be evaluated to create images.
- The procedure usually takes 30-4-minutes to complete until the ultrasound images contain sufficient detail for diagnosis of the condition.
How to Prepare For The Scan?
An abdominal ultrasound scan requires significantly less preparation and is often painless. Based on the type of ultrasound-
- You may be asked to fast (stop eating or drinking) for 8-10 hours before the test as the food in the stomach and urine in the bladder can block the sound waves, which makes it difficult to get a clear image
- You may be asked to drink a lot of water to keep your bladder full to provide clear images during the scan
- You can return to your normal daily activities immediately after an abdominal ultrasound.
Benefits vs Risks of Abdominal Scan
Benefits-
- Most ultrasound scans are noninvasive and painless
- Ultrasound is easy to use and less expensive than other imaging tests
- Ultrasound imaging is safe and does not use any radiation
- Ultrasound scans give a clear picture of soft tissues that do not show up well on x-rays
- Ultrasounds are real-time imaging and help in guiding minimally invasive procedures such as needle biopsies and fluid aspiration.
Risks-
Standard diagnostic ultrasound scans are accurate and have no known harmful effects.
However, there are a few limitations of the scan-
- The sound waves used during the scan can be disrupted by air or gas
- Certain conditions like being obese, excess intestinal gas, and food in the stomach can interfere with the results of the test.
Conclusion
An abdominal ultrasound scan is a safe and non-invasive imaging test that uses high-frequency sound waves to produce images of the organs and other structures within the abdomen. It is an effective diagnostic tool for various conditions such as abdominal pain, abnormal liver function, kidney stones, gallstones, and abdominal aortic aneurysm. The procedure is relatively easy to prepare for and usually takes between 30 to 45 minutes to complete. The benefits of abdominal ultrasound include its non-invasiveness, safety, and real-time imaging capabilities, while the risks are minimal. Overall, abdominal ultrasound is a valuable diagnostic tool that provides important information for the diagnosis and management of various abdominal conditions.