Ultrasound is readily available and modality that uses high-frequency soundwaves to produce a picture or image onto a screen showing the inside of your body.
It will be carried out by an expert radiologist.
Transvaginal ultrasound is an examination of the female pelvis. It helps to see if there is any abnormality in the uterus (womb), cervix (the neck of the womb), endometrium (lining of the womb) and ovaries. It looks at the pelvic organs from inside the vagina using a special smooth, thin, handheld device called a transducer.
A water-based clear gel applied to the skin of the abdomen and the transducer will help the transducer to moved gently and help transmission of high-frequency sound waves to produce a diagnostic image.
Ultrasound scans are painless and do not involve exposure to harmful radiation, so is considered a safe test
The test is requested by your doctor if you have symptoms of pelvic pain or uterine bleeding, or to check for polyps (areas of thickening of the lining of the uterus) or uterine fibroids. Transvaginal ultrasound is also useful in answering the doctor suspicion about ovarian cysts or tumours. Ultrasound of the pelvic organs will also help your doctor to workout an infertility assessment.
It provides more detailed pictures of the organs in the pelvis, particularly the uterus, cervix and ovaries, when compared to ultrasound scanning of the pelvis from the lower abdomen.
No preparation is required. You will be asked to go to the toilet and empty your bladder before the test being carried out.
If you are having a period, the examination can still be carried out and it is often an advantage when assessing some gynaecological problems. If you are wearing a tampon, it will need to be removed.
A transvaginal ultrasound is a personally invasive examination, so before having the test you might be asked to sign a consent form. Your dignity and privacy is protected at all times during the examination. A Chaperone will be present.
Please wear comfortable clothing that gives easy access to the lower part of your body.
After emptying your bladder, you will be asked to undress from the waist down and you might be asked to wear a gown. You will then be asked to lie on an examination bed. Generally, a sheet is provided to cover you. You will be asked to bend your legs and the special transducer is inserted into the vagina. The transducer is slightly larger than a tampon and especially shaped to fit comfortably into the vagina. A protective cover is placed over the transducer and cold lubricating gel is applied to it for ease of insertion. It is gently moved around the inside of the pelvis and images are taken. You might have your lower abdomen pushed with the examiners hand to try and get some of the pelvic organs closer to the transducer for better pictures.
The transducer used is fully sterilized and clean.
Apart from possible slight vaginal discharge from the lubrication gel after the test there are no after effects.
The examination takes between 15–30 minutes.
There are no known risks of having transvaginal ultrasound
The examination is carried out in a radiology department of a hospital, private radiology practice or at a specialist clinic for gynaecological imaging. The examination is carried out in the privacy of an ultrasound room, which might be dimly lit to allow the images on the ultrasound screen to be clearly seen. The doors will also be locked.
The report is generated on the same day and stored on an electronic system where it can be accessed by your doctor.
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