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Pelvic Ultrasound - Test Overview
About this test
A pelvic ultrasound uses sound waves to make a picture of the organs and structures in the lower belly (pelvis).
A pelvic ultrasound looks at:
- The bladder,
ovaries,
uterus,
cervix, and
fallopian tubes of a woman. See a picture of
female organs seen on pelvic ultrasound
. - The bladder,
prostate gland, and
seminal vesicles of a man. See a picture of
male organs seen on pelvic ultrasound .
Organs and structures that are solid and uniform (such as the uterus, ovaries, or prostate gland) or that are fluid-filled (such as the bladder) show up clearly on a pelvic ultrasound. Bones or air-filled organs, such as the intestines, do not show up well on an ultrasound and may keep other organs from being seen clearly.
Pelvic ultrasound can be done three ways: transabdominal, transrectal, and transvaginal.
- Transabdominal ultrasound. A small handheld device called a transducer is passed back and forth over the lower belly. A transabdominal ultrasound is commonly done in women to look for large uterine fibroids or other problems.
- Transrectal ultrasound. The transducer is shaped to fit into the rectum. A transrectal ultrasound is the most common test to look at the male pelvic organs, such as the prostate and seminal vesicles. Sometimes, a small sample of tissue (biopsy) may be taken with small tools inserted through the rectum during a transrectal ultrasound.
- Transvaginal ultrasound. The transducer is shaped
to fit into a woman's
vagina. A woman may have both transabdominal and
transvaginal ultrasounds to look at the whole pelvic area. A transvaginal
ultrasound is done to look for problems with
fertility. In rare cases, a hysterosonogram is done to
look at the inside of the uterus by filling the uterus with fluid during a
transvaginal ultrasound. Sometimes, a small sample of tissue (biopsy) may be
taken with small tools inserted through the vagina during a transvaginal
ultrasound. See
ultrasound images of ovarian cysts.
In all three types of pelvic ultrasound, the transducer sends the reflected sound waves to a computer, which makes them into a picture that is shown on a video screen. Ultrasound pictures or videos may be saved as a permanent record.
| By: | Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: June 17, 2009 |
| Medical Review: | Martin Gabica, MD - Family Medicine Sarah Marshall, MD - Family Medicine Kirtly Jones, MD - Obstetrics and Gynecology | |
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