Abdominal & pelvic ultrasound

An abdomen and pelvic ultrasound is a painless, non-invasive examination that uses sound waves to assess the organs inside the abdomen and pelvis.

This scan may evaluate the following:

Abdominal organs:

• Liver

• Gallbladder and bile ducts

• Pancreas

• Spleen

• Kidneys

• Major abdominal blood vessels

Pelvic organs (female):

• Uterus

• Endometrium

• Ovaries

• Adnexal regions

Pelvic organs (male):

• Bladder

• Prostate (transabdominal view)

Preparation instructions

To ensure the best image quality, correct preparation is very important.

Fasting (for abdominal assessment):

• Do not eat for 6–8 hours before the scan

• You may drink small amounts of plain water only

• No tea, coffee, milk, or fizzy drinks

Full bladder (for pelvic assessment):

• Drink 1–1.5 litres of water about 1 hour before the appointment

• Do not empty your bladder until after the scan

A full bladder helps improve visualisation of the pelvic organs.