Preparing For Your Ultrasound
Pelvic, Kidney or Bladder Ultrasound
Please ensure you empty your bladder 1 hour before your appointment and then drink 3/4 of a litre of water over the next 15 minutes. Please DO NOT empty your bladder again before the ultrasound examination.
If you are having a Pelvic Ultrasound, it is likely you will be required to undertake an internal ultrasound. The sonographer will explain the details of this to you in person, and before progressing, you will be asked for your consent and also be required to empty your bladder.
Abdominal Ultrasound
You are required to fast (i.e. No eating, chewing gum or smoking) for at least 4 hours before your appointment). Please ensure to take any medication with black tea or water. If you have diabetes, please discuss this with our reception team.
Ultrasound-guided Injection or Biopsy Procedure
Pregnancy Ultrasound
A full bladder is required for most obstetric scans, so please ensure you drink 600-800ml of water 1 hour before your appointment. In some instances you will be required to undertake an internal ultrasound – the sonographer will discuss this with at the appointment if it is needed.
Vascular Ultrasound
For abdominal arterial studies, please ensure you fast for at least 4 hours before your scan and be sure to take any medications with black tea or water.
Varicose vein incompetence examinations, please do not wear compression stockings on the day and ensure that you have eaten before your exam time.
Musculoskeletal Ultrasound
No special preparation is required.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do I need to bring along to an Ultrasound?
Please make sure to bring your referral, Medicare, Healthcare, DVA and/or Pension card with you. If you are not fluent in English, you may wish to bring a family member or friend along to act as an interpreter.
If you have had any previous imaging of the same region being imaged, please be sure to bring these scans and reports with you for comparison.
How long will the Ultrasound scan take?
Generally, appointment times vary and range between 15 – 60min depending on the complexity. Please ask our reception team for more details.
When will I get my results?
During the procedure, the sonographer will take a number of images both still frame and moving. These are then presented to the specialist radiologist who will report on the findings. If you do not wish to wait for your results they will be forwarded directly to your referring doctor. Alternatively, you can arrange to return at a later time to collect your report. It is recommended that you do this prior to your appointment with your referring doctor.
It is very important, (even if the result is normal) to return to your referring doctor for discussion of your results, allowing further investigation of your symptoms if the cause is not determined.
Does Ultrasound use radiation?
Ultrasound does not use radiation and is a safe and painless procedure that uses high-frequency sound waves to generate images of soft tissues of the human body.