Transvaginal ultrasound
Prior to transvaginal ultrasound you will empty your bladder. You will be asked to lie on your back with your feet slighty lowered. You will be completely covered with a sheet during the examination. Most women find the examination less uncomfortable than having a PAP smear performed. A sterile thin, lubricated, covered transducer probe will be gently inserted into your vagina. Only the tip of the transducer is put in the vagina.
Transvaginal ultrasound is a standard part of the examination. It gives clearer information for almost all women, but is particularly useful in women who:
- Are overweight.
- Are being assessed as part of fertility treatment.
- Are unable to maintain a full bladder.
- Are post-menopausal.
- Have a retroverted (tilted back) uterus.
Transvaginal ultrasound creates a clearer picture than transabdominal scanning because the transducer probe is closer to the organs being viewed. However, transvaginal ultrasound looks at a smaller area than transabdominal ultrasound.
Very occasionally, sterile saline is put into the cavity of the uterus through a tiny tube (catheter) to look at the lining of the uterus.