Transbladder Ultrasound

Patient Prep

You should wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing for your ultrasound exam. Other preparation depends on the type of examination you will have. For some scans, your doctor may instruct you not to eat for as many as 12 hours before your appointment. You will need to drink up to six glasses of water two hours prior to your exam, so that your bladder is full when the scan begins. A full bladder helps with visualization of the uterus, ovaries and bladder wall.

Test Procedure

For the transbladder approach, the patient has a full urinary bladder and is positioned on an examination table. A clear gel is applied to the lower abdomen to help the transducer make secure contact with the skin. The sound waves produced by the transducer cannot penetrate air, so the gel helps to eliminate air pockets between the transducer and the skin. Sound waves move easily through water, so the urinary bladder must be full. The sonographer then presses the transducer firmly against the skin and sweeps it back and forth to image the pelvic organs. Doppler sonography can be performed through the same transducer. Above is an example of a transbladder transducer