Pelvic ultrasound - abdominal

Before the test, you may be asked to put on medical gown. During the procedure, you will lie on your back on the table. Your health care provider will apply a clear gel on your abdomen. Your provider will place a probe (transducer), over the gel, rubbing back and forth across your belly: The probe sends out sound…

A pelvic ultrasound may be done with a full bladder. Having a full bladder can help with looking at organs, such as the womb (uterus), within your pelvis. You may be asked to drink a few glasses of water to fill your bladder. You should wait until after the test to urinate.

The test is painless and easy to tolerate. The conducting gel may feel a little cold and wet. You can go home right after the procedure and can resume your daily activities.

A pelvic ultrasound is used during pregnancy to check the baby. A pelvic ultrasound also may be done for: Cysts, fibroid tumors , or other growths or masses in the pelvis found when your provider examines you Bladder growths or other problems Kidney stones Pelvic inflammatory disease , an infection of a woman's…

The pelvic structures or fetus are normal.

An abnormal result may be due to many conditions. Some problems that may be seen include: Abscess in the ovaries, fallopian tubes, or pelvis Birth defects of the womb or vagina Cancers of the bladder , cervix , uterus , ovaries , vagina , and other pelvic structures Growths in or around the uterus and ovaries (such as…

There are no known harmful effects of pelvic ultrasound. Unlike x-rays, there is no radiation exposure with this test.

Dolan MS, Hill CC, Valea FA. Benign gynecologic lesions: vulva, vagina, cervix, uterus, oviduct, ovary, ultrasound imaging of pelvic structures. In: Gershenson DM, Lentz GM, Valea FA, Lobo RA, eds. Comprehensive Gynecology . 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 18. Nickels LC, Duran-Gehring P. Emergency…