How To Prepare For An Ultrasound Scan?

In the current date, most clinics, hospitals and even household have adopted ultrasound as one of most common body check-up procedure. Even with no known side effects towards the usage of ultrasound machines, it is still vital that we understand the preparation procedure to eliminate any ultrasound safety issues. We must constantly update ourselves with what is happening on the medical technology especially if you are holding onto a portable ultrasound machine that you are using at home. Preparing for the ultrasound machines isn’t difficult if you know the right approach.


Basic Knowledge

Most ultrasound procedures do not require any form of special preparation. Consult your family doctor if you need to bring any special items before proceeding with the ultrasound scan. Remember to put on loose comfortable clothings for your appointment and always turn up early at the clinic. Give yourself 10-15 minutes of buffer time so that you do not need to rush.

Most of the time, you are required to come with either an empty stomach or a full bladder. Similarly, consult you family doctor before the appointment date as there are different requirements for different organs to be checked. These guidelines are important so as to get the most accurate results.

Normally, when the scan involves organs like liver or gallbladder, most of the time you are required to come with an empty stomach (or at least 5-6 hours without food). However, you can choose to take a few sips of water before the scan.

Another common form of scanning is during early pregnancy. Pregnant woman is advised to drink several glasses of water before the scan. It will also be advisable to refrain from urinating before the test as a full bladder will aid the diagnosticians get a better view of the uterus.


Preparations For The Patient

One good aspect of ultrasound machines is that there is no ‘physical torture’ during the scan since there it is no pain. Relax yourself the day before the scan and be your usual self. Don’t be overly tense for the scan especially for pregnant woman. Sleep early the night before and have a good night rest. Everything will go smoothly if you follow the guidelines that your family doctor has advised you. Results may not be accurate if certain preparations that are necessary for the scan are not adequately done by the patient.

The scan will normally be between 10-30 minutes depending on the area/organ that are being observed. There are no restrictions of activities after the scan and life can resume as per normal unless otherwise stated by your doctor.


Additional Knowledge / General Guidelines

Individuals aging 1 year old and above are advised to drink plenty of water to make sure that their bladder is kept full. This is especially useful if individuals are actually going for pelvic ultrasound. There is no restriction in the diet and you can choose to eat as much as you want before the scan.

For the case of abdominal ultrasound scan, it is advisable to stop consumption of food 6 hours before the scan and the last meal should preferably be low in fat. This is necessary to get a better observation during the scan.

For renal ultrasound machines, there is usually no special preparation of course it is specifically instructed by your doctor. Hope you get a better idea on what to prepare on if your ultrasound scan is around the corner. Feel free to contact me should you have any additional questions that you need help with and I will try to get back to you asap.