What is a female pelvic ultrasound?
A pelvic ultrasound is a test that uses sound waves to make a picture of the inside of the lower belly (pelvis). It allows your doctor to see your bladder, cervix, uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries. The sound waves create a picture on a video monitor.
The test can be done in several ways:
- Transabdominal.A small handheld device (transducer) is passed back and forth over your lower belly.
- Transvaginal.A thin, lubricated transducer is placed in your vagina.
- Transperineal or translabial.A transducer is used on the perineum (the area between the vagina and the anus).
Why is a female pelvic ultrasound done?
A pelvic ultrasound test is done to:
- Find the cause of urinary problems.
- Find out what's causing pelvic pain.
- Look for causes of vaginal bleeding and menstrual problems.
- Check for growths or masses like ovarian cysts or uterine fibroids.
- See if a fertilized egg is growing outside the uterus. This is called a tubal pregnancy.
- Confirm the stage of a pregnancy and check the baby's heartbeat.
- Look for the correct placement of an intrauterine device (IUD).
How is a female pelvic ultrasound done?
For a transabdominal ultrasound:
- You lie down on your back on an exam table.
- A warm gel will be spread on your lower belly. This improves the transmission of the sound waves. The handheld transducer is pressed against your belly and gently moved back and forth. A picture of the organs can be seen on a video monitor.
For a transvaginal ultrasound:
- You lie down on your back on an exam table with your knees bent and feet and legs supported by footrests.
- The tip of a thin, lubricated transducer probe is gently placed into your vagina. The transducer may be moved around to get a complete view. The images from the test are shown on a video monitor.
For a transperineal or translabial ultrasound:
- You lie down on your back on an exam table with your knees bent and feet and legs supported by footrests.
- The lubricated transducer will be placed on your perinium (the area between the vagina and the anus). The transducer may be moved around to get a complete view. The images from the test are shown on a video monitor.
How do you prepare for a pelvic ultrasound?
Wear loose clothes for the pelvic ultrasound. You may need to remove all your clothes below the waist and put on a gown before the test. If a man is also having a biopsy of the prostate gland, he may be given antibiotics for a day before the test.
What do the results of a pelvic ultrasound mean?
Normal: | Your ovaries, cervix, and uterus have a normal shape and size and are in the normal place. No growths, tumors, fluid, or other problems, such as cysts, are present. Small cysts (follicles) in the ovaries of women who are able to have children are normal. |
|---|---|
| If you are using an intrauterine device (IUD), it is in the uterus. | |
| If you are pregnant, your baby (fetus) is developing inside the uterus. | |
| Your bladder is normal in size and shape. No stones or abnormal growths are present. If the bladder is checked before and after urination, it empties completely. Urine flows normally from the ureters into the bladder. | |
| If you are pregnant, a normal cervix measures long. | |
Abnormal: | Your uterus is big or abnormally shaped because of uterine fibroids. Cysts or tumors are present, such as cancerous or noncancerous tumors of the ovaries, uterus, or cervix. |
| The thickness of the lining of the uterus (endometrium), called the endometrial stripe, is greater than normal. In some age groups, a thicker endometrial stripe (also called endometrial hyperplasia) may mean a higher chance of endometrial cancer. | |
| Problems from pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), abscesses, kidney stones, or other problems are present. | |
| An ectopic pregnancy is present. | |
| An abnormal amount of fluid is present in the pelvis. | |
| The bladder has an abnormal shape or a thick wall. A growth or stone is seen in the bladder. If the bladder is checked before and after urination, it may not empty completely during urination. | |
| If you are pregnant, an abnormal cervix measures short. |
Normal: | Your prostate gland and seminal vesicles are normal in size and shape. No growths, tumors, or other problems, such as cysts, are present. |
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| Your bladder is normal in size and shape. No stones or abnormal growths are present. If the bladder is checked before and after urination, it empties completely during urination. Urine flows normally from the ureters into the bladder. | |
Abnormal: | Your prostate gland is enlarged (benign prostatic hypertrophy, or BPH). This is one of the most common abnormal findings. An abscess, a kidney stone in the urinary tract, or a tumor in or near the prostate gland or bladder may be present. |
| The bladder has an abnormal shape or a thick wall. A growth or stone is seen in the bladder. If the bladder is checked before and after urination, it may not empty completely during urination. | |
| An abnormal amount of fluid is present in the pelvis. |
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