Why do I need to fast?
In order to get good pictures, your stomach and bowel need to be free from gas. By fasting, the gas gets
removed naturally, allowing us to see a lot more. Fasting also helps distend your gallbladder which can be hard
to see otherwise.
Does it hurt?
Ultrasound itself is painless. In order to get good pictures the sonographer will have to apply pressure to the
probe which can be uncomfortable. You may also require a full bladder or fasting.
What is the fasting preparation?
If you need to fast you need to not have anything to eat or drink for 8 hours before your appointment. You are
not allowed to smoke, or drink tea or coffee. You are free to drink water and take your normal medications.
Why do I need to drink water for my scan?
Ultrasound uses sound waves to see inside your body. Water is excellent at letting sound waves through, so by
drinking water it allows us to see much more than we can without it. Some studies cannot be done if there is not
sufficient water in your bladder.
What is the water preparation?
2-3 hours before your appointment time, you need to drink 750ml - 1000ml of water, finishing one hour before
your appointment time. You then need to hold the water in your bladder so it is full - don’t go to the toilet. By the
time of your appointment you should be feeling really full. If you need to let some out, please check with our
staff first.
What happens if I don’t do the preparation?
The right preparation is extremely important to get the best quality study. If your preparation is not sufficient
then you may need to wait or be rebooked to another day. In some cases we can still do the study, however will
not be able to see some structures and the images will be of a lower quality. The better the preparation, the
better the images, and the more accurate our diagnosis.
What if I’m on fluid restrictions?
If you need water preparation then instead of drinking extra water, you need to avoid going to the toilet for
longer before your study. The exact time depends on you and is hard to predict, but the aim is that by the time
you come for your appointment your bladder is really full.
Do I need to fast if I have diabetes?
Ideally yes, however if you are concerned your blood sugar is low then you can have something sweet to drink
as long as its a clear fluid (ie, no milk, fizzy drinks, etc).
Is it safe?
Ultrasound is extremely safe. The safety of ultrasound has been well established over multiple decades of
clinical use. We do know that it can cause a very mild increase in temperature of the area being studied,
which is too small for you to feel.
Copyright 2021 Clearview Medical Imaging
ULTRASOUND
ULTRASOUND USES
SOUND WAVES TO SEE
INSIDE YOUR BODY.
Our equipment and highly trained sonographers
can obtain very high-resolution images, allowing
us to see structures smaller than 1mm.
A Carlisle Health Clinic
Why do I need to fast?
In order to get good pictures, your stomach and
bowel need to be free from gas. By fasting, the
gas gets removed naturally, allowing us to see a
lot more. Fasting also helps distend your
gallbladder which can be hard to see otherwise.
What is the fasting preparation?
If you need to fast you need to not have
anything to eat or drink for 8 hours before your
appointment. You are not allowed to smoke, or
drink tea or coffee. You are free to drink water
and take your normal medications.
Why do I need to drink water for my scan?
Ultrasound uses sound waves to see inside your
body. Water is excellent at letting sound waves
through, so by drinking water it allows us to see
much more than we can without it. Some studies
cannot be done if there is not sufficient water in
your bladder.
What is the water preparation?
2-3 hours before your appointment time, you
need to drink 750ml - 1000ml of water, finishing
one hour before your appointment time. You
then need to hold the water in your bladder so it
is full - don’t go to the toilet. By the time of your
appointment you should be feeling really full. If
you need to let some out, please check with our
staff first.
What happens if I don’t do the preparation?
The right preparation is extremely important to
get the best quality study. If your preparation is
not sufficient then you may need to wait or be
rebooked to another day. In some cases we can
still do the study, however will not be able to see
some structures and the images will be of a
lower quality. The better the preparation, the
better the images, and the more accurate our
diagnosis.
What if I’m on fluid restrictions?
If you need water preparation then instead of
drinking extra water, you need to avoid going to
the toilet for longer before your study. The exact
time depends on you and is hard to predict, but
the aim is that by the time you come for your
appointment your bladder is really full.
Do I need to fast if I have diabetes?
Ideally yes, however if you are concerned your
blood sugar is low then you can have something
sweet to drink as long as its a clear fluid (ie, no
milk, fizzy drinks, etc).
Does it hurt?
Ultrasound itself is painless. In order to get good
pictures the sonographer will have to apply
pressure to the probe which can be
uncomfortable. You may also require a full
bladder or fasting.
Is it safe?
Ultrasound is extremely safe. The safety of
ultrasound has been well established over
multiple decades of clinical use. We do know
that it can cause a very mild increase in
temperature of the area being studied, which is
too small for you to feel.
Copyright 2021 Clearview Medical Imaging
ULTRASOUND
ULTRASOUND USES
SOUND WAVES TO
SEE INSIDE YOUR
BODY.
Our equipment and highly trained sonographers
can obtain very high-resolution images,
allowing us to see structures smaller than 1mm.
A Carlisle Health Clinic
