Pelvic Ultrasound

A pelvic ultrasound uses sound to create pictures of your lower abdominal organs. Highly skilled sonographer Joyce Morris, RVT, and her colleagues at JerBear Imaging in Brownwood, Texas, use pelvic ultrasound to help diagnose pain, swelling, and other symptoms or monitor fetal health in pregnant women. Call JerBear Imaging for more information about pelvic ultrasound and its uses, or request an appointment online today.

What is pelvic ultrasound?

Pelvic ultrasound focuses on examining the internal organs and tissues in your pelvis — the area between your groin and lower back. The three primary pelvic ultrasound procedures are:

Abdominal

Abdominal ultrasound assesses the organs in your pelvic region using an external transducer (the device that sends sound wave information back to the ultrasound machine).

Vaginal

Vaginal ultrasound uses a wand-shaped transducer inserted into the vagina to view the female reproductive organs.

Rectal

Rectal ultrasound uses a wand-shaped transducer that goes into the anus. It’s typically used to provide images of the male prostate gland.

Doppler ultrasound may sometimes form part of a pelvic ultrasound procedure. Doppler is a special technique that assesses blood flow through the arteries and veins.

How does pelvic ultrasound work?

During an ultrasound scan, the transducer sends high-frequency sound waves into your body. The sound waves echo back from your internal organs, tissues, and fluids into the transducer’s sensitive receiver.

This receiver records changes in echoing sound wave pitch and direction. Computer software instantly takes the information and translates it into real-time pictures you can view on a monitor.

When do women need a pelvic ultrasound?

Women might require a pelvic ultrasound if they have problems affecting their bladder and/or reproductive organs, including the cervix, uterus, ovaries, and fallopian tubes. Conditions and symptoms pelvic ultrasound can help diagnose include:

• Pelvic pain
• Abnormal vaginal bleeding
• Infertility
• Ovarian cysts
• Uterine fibroids
• Ovarian or uterine cancers

Transvaginal ultrasound helps provide a clear view of the endometrium (uterine lining), ovaries, myometrium (muscular uterine walls), and fallopian tubes.

Pelvic ultrasound is also a vital component of prenatal care. During pregnancy, expectant mothers typically undergo two ultrasounds to check the growing baby’s development. In addition to medical pelvic ultrasounds, JerBear Imaging offers elective 3D/4D ultrasounds to provide parents with a detailed image and/or video of their unborn child.

What other uses does pelvic ultrasound have?

Pelvic ultrasound has numerous uses and is the safest form of diagnostic imaging.

JerBear Imaging uses pelvic ultrasound to evaluate men’s bladder, prostate gland, and seminal vesicles. Pelvic ultrasound can also identify problems like bladder tumors, kidney stones, and other urinary tract disorders in men and women.

In addition, pelvic ultrasound is helpful for identifying pelvic masses, pelvic organ abnormalities, and other causes of pelvic pain in children.

Call JerBear Imaging for more information on pelvic ultrasound or request an appointment online today.