This examination is most frequently performed with the patient lying on the back. The doctor covers the skin with a special gel in order to obtain full contact of the camera head with the skin and remove all air bubbles. This substance is neutral for the skin and washes off easily with soap and water. The camera head is moved over the skin, and the images of organs are obtained – they are visible on the monitor display. The condition for proper ultrasound imaging of lesser pelvis organs through the lining of the stomach is that the bladder is filled. The bladder filled with urine pushes the intestinal loops out of the lesser pelvis and in this way an “ultrasound window” is made to enable the examination of women's genital tract, men’s prostate, and the bladder itself. For the purposes of abdomen imaging without the examination of the urinary tract, the bladder may stay empty.

Please make sure to prepare properly for the abdominal ultrasound.

1 day before the examination:

  • Keep your diet light; do not have raw vegetables, fruit or dark bread.
  • Besides, you make take Espumisan (3 x 2 capsules). The medicine aims to release air from the digestive tract which might otherwise be an obstacle to ultrasounds. You do not need a presc.ription to buy Espumisan at a pharmacy.

6 hours before the examination:

  • Do not consume any foods.
  • Do not have any drinks except non-sweetened still water – please make sure not to drink coffee or strong tea.
  • Do not smoke.
  • Do not take any chewing gum.

2 hours before the examination:

  • Drink 1-4 glasses of sill water and do not urinate. The amount of the liquid needed to fill up the bladder is determined by individual factors. Fill the bladder in such a way that it is medium-filled (not maximum-filled).

During the abdominal ultrasound you may be asked to empty the bladder.