Through an abdominal scan, a non-invasive procedure, the doctor would be able to see within the abdomen and see the various organs within it. Through ultrasound imaging of the abdomen, the machine uses sound waves to create pictures of the organs, and help the doctors see if there is anything wrong with the kidneys, liver, gallbladder, bile ducts, pancreas, abdominal aorta and spleen. In an ultrasound scan, an ultrasound transducer is placed on the patient’s skin, and ultrasound waves move from it through the body and from there to the organs and structures. The sound waves bounce off the organs that are being examined and returned to the transducer. This information will then be processed by the computer, and the doctors will study the organs from these images.  The scanner uses a transducer to send out ultrasound waves at a particular frequency (which cannot be heard by human ears). The waves travel at various speeds because when it counters bone tissue, it gets fast, and when it moves through air, slow. 

Ultrasound scan is generally preferred by gynaecologists and other physicians because there is no radiation involved. Also, a better choice to contrast dyes.

Why do doctors prescribe an ultrasound scan? 

The doctor might prescribe a scan to assess the size and health of abdominal organs and they check for conditions like:

Tumours

Abscesses (collection of pus)

Cysts

Presence of infection

Infection

Fluid Collection

Blocks in the blood vessels

There are a lot of things that you can understand with an abdominal ultrasound.  For example, if you have stones in the gallbladder, uterus and kidneys can be detected by ultrasound. Ultrasound helps in the placement of needles to help drain fluid from an abscess or cyst. True, there are a few things that might stand in the way of a perfect abdominal scan. Severe obesity could obstruct the results, intestinal gas could be a problem in certain cases. If you have barium in your intestines from a recent barium procedure, that would be a problem too. 

Preparing for abdominal ultrasound

If you are going for a morning ultrasound appointment, it is advisable to have a fat-free dinner. Avoid eating/drinking after midnight, and wait until the ultrasound is finished to have something. When the ultrasound is for studying the kidneys, you will be asked to drink 6-8 glasses of water about an hour before the procedure. However, you cannot eat anything 12 hours before the procedure since you have to avoid gas formation in the intestine. If the ultrasound is for the liver, gallbladder, spleen and pancreas, and for the aorta, you will have to quit eating 12 hours before the procedure. During the procedure, you will have to remove any jewellery on your person and wear a hospital gown. The procedure normally takes 30 minutes to complete. You will have to lie on the examination table while the sonographer runs the transducer on your stomach area, back and forth. It is a perfectly painless process, and the results (the images taken) would be sent to the computer for the technician and doctor to analyse. 

If you have been advised of ultrasound scanning in Qatar, you can visit Naseem Medical Centres for accurate test results and excellent diagnosis. We have the most updated equipment, the best in the medical field, and an excellent team of doctors to help you. So you can rest assured that you are in perfectly safe hands.