Skip to Content
Rush-Copley Medical Group
Home > Health & Fitness > Healthwise > Abdominal Ultrasound
ultrasound takes pictures of the organs and other structures in your upper belly. It uses sound waves to show images on a screen.
Areas that can be checked include the:
If your doctor needs more details about a specific organ in the upper part of your belly, you may get a special ultrasound, such as a kidney ultrasound. If you need the structures and organs in
your lower belly checked, you will get a pelvic ultrasound.
Abdominal ultrasound is done to:
Tell your doctor if you have had a
barium enema or upper GI
(gastrointestinal) tests within the past 2 days. Barium that stays in the
intestines can affect the results of the ultrasound.
You may need to prepare in other ways too. It depends on what test you are having. For example:
The test is done by a radiologist. This is a doctor who
has special training to perform and interpret imaging tests. Sometimes an ultrasound technologist (sonographer) will do the test. In that case, a radiologist will supervise. The test is done in an ultrasound room in a hospital or doctor's office.
You may need to take off your jewelry. You may also need to take off all or most of your clothes. It depends on which area is being examined. You will be given a cloth or
paper to cover yourself during the test.
You will lie on your back
(or on your side) on a padded exam table. Warmed gel will be spread on your
belly or back to help the sound waves work best. A small handheld device (transducer) is pressed against your belly.
You may be asked to change positions so more scans can
be done. For a kidney ultrasound, you may be asked to lie on your
You need to lie very still while the test is
being done. You may be asked to take a breath and hold it for several seconds
during the test. This lets the person doing the test see organs and structures more clearly.
The test usually
takes 30 to 60 minutes.
You may be asked to wait until the radiologist has
reviewed the images. He or she may want to take more views
of some areas of your belly.
The gel may feel cold when it is put on
your skin. But the gel may be warmed to body temperature first. You will feel
light pressure from the transducer as it passes over your belly. Most people do not feel pain during the test. But if the test is being done to check
damage from a recent injury, the slight pressure of the transducer may be
somewhat painful. You will not hear or feel the sound waves.
There are no known risks from having an abdominal
The organs have a normal size, shape, and texture. No abnormal growths are seen. No fluid is in the
The aorta looks
aneurysms are seen.
The thickness of the
gallbladder wall is normal. The size of the bile ducts is normal. No
gallstones are seen.
kidney stones are seen. The system that drains the kidneys is not blocked.
An organ looks abnormal. It may be smaller than normal. A growth may press against it or may be seen in an organ. Or fluid may be seen in the belly cavity. These things may be due to inflammation, infection, or other diseases.
The aorta is enlarged or an aneurysm is
The liver looks abnormal. This may
point to liver disease (such as
cirrhosis or cancer).
The walls of the gallbladder are
thickened, or fluid is found around the gallbladder. These may point to
inflammation. The bile ducts may be enlarged. Or gallstones may be seen.
The kidneys or the ureters are enlarged because urine does not drain as it should. Kidney stones are seen. (But not all stones
can be seen with ultrasound.)
An area of infection or a fluid-filled
cyst is seen inside an
organ. Or the spleen may be ruptured.
You may not be able to
have the test, or the results may not be helpful, if:
Other Works Consulted
Fischbach FT, Dunning MB III, eds. (2009).
Manual of Laboratory and Diagnostic Tests, 8th ed.
Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.
Pagana KD, Pagana TJ (2010). Mosby’s Manual of Diagnostic and Laboratory Tests, 4th ed. St. Louis: Mosby Elsevier.
ByHealthwise StaffPrimary Medical ReviewerKathleen Romito, MD - Family MedicineSpecialist Medical ReviewerHoward Schaff, MD - Diagnostic Radiology
Current as ofSeptember 9, 2014
Current as of:
September 9, 2014
Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine & Howard Schaff, MD - Diagnostic Radiology
How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.
To learn more, visit Healthwise.org
© 1995-2015 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated.
Retrieving newsletters from the Web service...
Sorry, the newsletter Web service is unavailable at this time.
You have signed up for the selected newsletters.
© Copyright 2015 Rush-Copley Medical Center • 2000 Ogden Avenue; Aurora, IL 60504
Main: 630-978-6200 • Physician Referral & Information: 630-978-6700 or 866-4COPLEY (866-426-7539)