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Ultrasound Screening for Vascular Disease
Ultrasound uses high frequency sound waves and their echoes to generate images of the body. No x-rays are used for these exams, making them safe for children and pregnant women. Most exams take 30 minutes or less. Ultrasounds are not only associated with prenatal exams, but in other applications that evaluate internal tissues and organs. Because ultrasound images are captured in real-time, they can show movement of internal tissues and organs, enabling our Radiologists to see blood flow and heart valve functions. It is a safe and painless imaging study.
How to Prepare
| 1. Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing. You will need to remove all clothing and jewelry in the area to be examined. |
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| 2. Women should always inform their physician or technologist if there is any possibility that they are pregnant. | |
| 3. Report to your physician all medications that you are taking, including herbal supplements. | |
| 4. Report to your physician any allergies you may have, especially to anesthesia or to contrast materials. | |
| 5. Check with your physician if you are on blood thinners (Coumadin, Warfarin). You may need to stop your medication and/or have blood coagulation tests within normal values prior to the procedure. | |
| 6. Check with your physician about what you can eat and/drink prior to the procedure. Depending on what scan you will receive, you may not be able to eat or drink for as many as 12 hours before your appointment. For others, you may be asked to drink up to 6 glasses of water two hours prior to your exam and avoid urinating so that your bladder is full when the scan begins. |
What to Expect
For most ultrasound exams, the patient is positioned lying face-up on an examination table that can be tilted or moved. A clear, warm gel is applied to the area of the body being studied to help the transducer make secure contact with the body and eliminate air pockets between the transducer and the skin. The ultrasound technologist or radiologist then presses the transducer firmly against the skin and sweeps it back and forth over the area of interest until the desire images are captured. If scanning is performed over a tender area, you may feel pressure or minor pain from the procedure. If the transducer is attached to a probe and inserted into an opening of the body, such as the esophagus, rectum or vagina, there may be minimal discomfort. Once the imaging is complete, the gel is wiped off your skin and you should be able to resume your normal activities.
For more information about Ultrasound, please visit www.radiologyinfo.org.
