Women's
Health

Ultrasound creates pictures of the internal organs of the body from sound waves. There is no radiation involved. The sound waves are directed into a specific area of the body through a transducer. The sound waves hit tissues, body fluids, and bones. Waves then bounce back, like echoes, and are converted into pictures of the internal organs.
The images appear on a screen similar to a computer monitor. Dark areas show liquid. Gray or light areas show denser material, like tissue or bone.
Ultrasound is used in gynecology to examine the pelvic organs. An ultrasound exam can help:
There are many different types of ultrasound exams. The type of ultrasound you have will depend on what types of images your health care provider needs and why the exam is being done. Types of ultrasound are listed as follows:
If you are having a transabdominal ultrasound, wear loose-fitting clothes. This will allow your abdomen to be exposed easily. You may need to drink up to six glasses of water during the 2 hours before your exam. This will make your bladder full. A full bladder is necessary because it pushes loops of the bowel up and out of the way, making the uterus easier to see.