Ultrasound/Hysterosonogram

A pelvic ultrasound is the most common type of imaging test done, primarily because it is the least expensive option. In most cases, two different types of ultrasound are done: transabdominal and transvaginal.

Prior to a transabdominal ultrasound, you'll be asked to drink what seems like an impossible quantity of water. With fibroids already taking up a lot of abdominal space and pressing against your bladder, you can expect to be fairly uncomfortable for this test. There just doesn't seem like there's any room left for drinking a great deal of water and the pressure to urinate can increase significantly. Please don't be tempted to relieve your bladder -- the water you've consumed is quite necessary for this test.

Once you've consumed an adequate quantity of water, a technician directs you to a testing room and instructs you to put on a hospital gown. Then, while you're lying down on a table, the technician squirts a special type of jelly on your abdomen. A probe (transducer) is moved over your abdomen to get a reading. High frequency sound waves bouncing off your inner organs (and all of that water you just drank) create pictures.

The transvaginal portion of the ultrasound is done next and involves inserting a probe into your vagina. There is good news, however. You get to empty your bladder before this portion of the ultrasound is done! With this test, you have the option of placing the probe into your vagina by yourself. Most technicians will ask whether or not you would prefer this option as some women do feel more comfortable inserting it themselves. However, the technician still needs to control the probe and move it around within the vagina to get the necessary images.

When a transvaginal ultrasound is done, it is also possible to inject a small amount of water into the uterine cavity so that the lining of the uterus is more clearly defined. This procedure is called a hysterosonogram and is useful in differentiating between an endometrial polyp and a submucosal fibroid.

Link	Site Name/Author	What You'll Find
www.womens-health.com/gyn_health/ gyn_tst_ultrason.html	Women's Health Interactive	Reproductive System Tests: Ultrasonic
www.ob-ultrasound.net/	Dr. Joseph Woo MBBS, FRCOG (Eng) FHKAM (O&G) Hong Kong	Obstetric Ultrasound. Comprehensive site on ultrasound technology and images acquired.
www.ultrasound.au.nu/ gynaecology.html	Dr. Peter Warren Dr. Glenn McNally	Gynecological Ultrasound.
www.bk.psu.edu/ faculty/cooper/ultrasnd.html	Dr. Louis A. Coury, Jr Duke University	Ultrasound: What is it?
www.cs.uwa.edu.au/ ~bernard/us3d.html	Bernard Cena, a postgraduate student at the Department of Computer Science at the University of Western Australia in Perth.	3D Ultrasound.
www.health.harvard.edu/fhg/ diagnostics/hystero/hystero.shtml	Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide	Hysterosalpingogram. What is the test? How do I prepare for the test? What happens when the test is performed? What risks are there from the test? Must I do anything special after the test is over? How long is it before the result of the test is known?
www.radiologyinfo.org/ content/ultrasound-pelvis.htm	Radiological Society of North America, Inc. (RSNA)	Ultrasound - Pelvis. Comprehensive details along with photos and explanation of equipment used.