A pelvic ultrasound is a diagnostic tool used to diagnose issues such as tumors, cysts, or other abnormalities. An ultrasound allows your medical provider to see the organs inside your pelvis more clearly. Depending on your family history, personal health, and unique risk factors for certain medical issues you may need to get an ultrasound regularly. However, some instances indicate that you should get an ultrasound right away. Below are some of the common signs you may need a pelvic ultrasound.
Signs You May Need a Pelvic Ultrasound
If you experience one or more of the following, contact your medical provider. It is likely they’ll suggest a pelvic ultrasound to ensure you are in good health.
- Unusual periods
- Bleeding after menopause
- Urinary leakage
- Swollen abdomen
- Pain in your pelvis or abdomen
- Pain during sex or when you urinate
- Difficulty getting pregnant
A pelvic ultrasound helps diagnose a number of medical conditions. It can reveal bladder cancer, kidney stones, and hernias. For those assigned male at birth, an ultrasound can detect testicular cancer, scrotal or penile injury, testicular or scrotal infection, prostate cancer, testicular cancer, infections, and cysts. For those assigned female at birth, an ultrasound can detect uterine fibroids, polycystic ovary syndrome, ectopic pregnancy, endometriosis, ovarian cysts, gynecological tumors, ovarian torsion, and pelvic inflammatory disease. Depending on your symptoms, your medical provider may suggest breast cancer screening in Houston, in addition to a pelvic ultrasound.
Pelvic Ultrasound
A pelvic ultrasound is a diagnostic tool that uses sound waves to create a picture of the organs inside your body. The image created is detailed in order to allow your medical provider to see your pelvic area. This includes your bladder, fallopian tubes, ovaries, prostate, rectum, uterus, and vagina. The ultrasound can work on the inside or outside of your body, depending on the type of ultrasound. We have different types of ultrasounds depending on what organs your medical provider needs to see.
An abdominal ultrasound examines your organs from outside your stomach. A pregnancy ultrasound examines your baby’s growth in the uterus. A rectal ultrasound can examine the inside of your rectum. Lastly, a transvaginal ultrasound examines your reproductive organs from inside your vagina. If your medical provider suggests gynecological imaging in Houston, it’s important to schedule an appointment right away. It can make a huge difference in your long-term health as early detection is crucial with any potential medical issue.
Results of a Pelvic Ultrasound
After a pelvic ultrasound your results are sent to a radiologist. A radiologist is an imaging specialist that examines ultrasound results in order to provide a diagnosis. Once the radiologist has reviewed the images and made a diagnosis, the information is sent to your medical provider. Your medical provider will contact you with your results. In some cases, your healthcare provider may be able to interpret and diagnose your images without the help of a radiologist. However, both work in concert with one another to ensure an accurate diagnosis.
Pelvic ultrasounds prove a highly beneficial diagnostic tool. Additionally, they work well with detailed, quick, and safe results. The pelvic ultrasound creates top-quality images that allow your medical provider to clearly see inside your pelvis. It is also short as scans can be as short as 15 minutes, and no longer than one hour. Still, the exam is highly safe and does not use radiation. Medical exams can be nerve-wracking, but it’s important to remember that it can be life-saving. Getting a safe and reliable image from a pelvic ultrasound can ensure you get the most accurate results.