Ultrasonography

One week before the ultrasound, it is recommended to:

• Completely abstain from alcoholic beverages;
• Exclude gas-forming foods from your diet, as air bubbles accumulating in the intestines can interfere with visualization. Such foods include raw whole milk, raw unprocessed vegetables and fruits, legumes (such as soy, peas, and beans), yeast dough, and black bread.

Three days before the scheduled procedure, start taking the following medications as prescribed by your treating physician:

• Enzymes - any form of pancreatin. It is best to take it in the form of microcapsules, with a dosage of not less than 10,000 IU per meal. Take the capsule directly before or during a meal, and wash it down with a glass of water. If you have any gastrointestinal conditions, consult your doctor regarding the dosage - you may need a higher enzyme content;
• Anti-flatulence medications. The dosage for these medications is standard, so you can confirm it with your pharmacist. Take these medicines after each meal;
• If you suffer from chronic constipation, start taking lactulose - one tablespoon before bedtime.

On the day before the ultrasound with functional evaluation:

• Dinner should be light and nutritious, such as porridge with minimal sugar content. The meal should not be later than 8:00 PM;
• Before bedtime, make sure to empty your bladder. If necessary, you can use a glycerin suppository. For this type of examination, there is no need to use an enema to cleanse the intestines.

In the morning, before visiting the doctor:

• Boil some eggs and separate the yolks, which will serve as a cholagogue. You can also use fatty sour cream or cream for this purpose. Sometimes a Sorbitol solution is used for the same purpose;
• Do not even drink water, as the gallbladder may contract prematurely, resulting in unreliable examination results;
• If you plan the procedure for the afternoon, have a light breakfast at 7:00 AM.

Special preparation for retroperitoneal lymph node ultrasound is not required. It is recommended to abstain from eating for 6-8 hours before the ultrasound. Preferably, the examination should be conducted in the morning on an empty stomach. It is also recommended to arrive for the examination with a full bladder. To achieve this, drink 0.5-0.7 liters of water one hour before the ultrasound.

When scheduling your visit for gynecological ultrasound, take note that this examination is performed on specific days of the menstrual cycle. Planned gynecological ultrasound is usually done in the early part of the cycle - at most on the 8th to 10th day. It is recommended to undergo the examination right after the end of menstruation, on the 5th to 7th day.

Your attending physician may also schedule the examination at a different phase of the cycle due to suspected conditions. For instance, to diagnose endometriosis, uterine and adnexa ultrasound is performed in the second half of the cycle, or in case of bleeding or other complex conditions, it can be done on any day of the cycle.

The gynecological ultrasound procedure requires some preparation. This involves excluding from your diet several days before the examination the foods that promote excessive gas formation in the intestines. Such foods include raw whole milk, raw unprocessed vegetables and fruits, legumes (such as soy, peas, and beans), yeast dough, and black bread. Immediately before the procedure, it is necessary to empty the bladder.

Special preparation for breast ultrasound in women is not required. However, the accuracy of the diagnostic results depends on the specific phase of the menstrual cycle. The procedure for examining breast tissue is typically performed in the first phase of the menstrual cycle, specifically from the 5th to the 10th day. If the examination is scheduled for women in menopause, it can be done on any day.

Special preparation for bladder ultrasound is not required. One to one and a half hours before the procedure, drink 1-1.5 liters of liquid (preferably non-carbonated, preferably purified water). It is not recommended to empty the bladder before the examination, as the bladder should be full. If you need to urinate before the examination, make sure to drink at least 1-2 glasses of water again after emptying your bladder.

The accuracy of diagnostic results for abdominal organs depends on the amount of air in the loops of the intestine. To reduce this air and improve the accuracy of the examination, preliminary preparation with dietary restrictions is necessary.

Allowed foods include cereals, beef, poultry, low-fat cheese, scrambled eggs, and lean fish. Meals should be frequent. Daily fluid intake should be around 1.5 liters.

The examination is performed after excluding foods from your diet that promote excessive gas formation in the intestines and increase gallbladder secretions. These include:

• Raw fruits and vegetables;
• Raw milk and dairy products;
• Legumes in any form;
• Fatty types of fish and meat;
• Sweet products;
• Alcohol;
• Carbonated drinks.

The abdominal organs ultrasound is performed on an empty stomach, at least six hours after the last meal (preferably in the morning).

To prepare correctly for a liver ultrasound and obtain the most accurate results, it is necessary to abstain from consuming products that cause increased gas production 2-3 days before the examination. Such products include, among others, milk, black bread, sweet pastries, juices, fresh vegetables, and fruits.

Refrain from eating for 6 hours before the liver ultrasound or completely abstain from food on the day of the examination.

Pancreas ultrasound is performed on an empty stomach. To prepare, follow a mild diet for 1-2 days before the examination and have your last meal at 6-7 PM. Before bedtime on the eve of the examination, take enterosorbent medications to cleanse the intestines of gases and impurities.

2-3 days before the diagnostic procedure:

• Adhere to a special diet, especially if prone to bloating. The diet involves avoiding foods that promote gas production, such as fresh vegetables, fruits, dairy products, black bread, carbonated drinks, legumes, cabbage, and alcoholic beverages;
• Take laxative medications if you have irregular bowel movements. They help cleanse the intestines of impurities and gases;
• Consume a normal amount of fluids, approximately 1.5-2 liters of liquid per day. Avoid juices, strong coffee, and tea.

On the day of the examination, also follow the recommendations mentioned above. Your breakfast menu may include:

• Buckwheat, oat, or pearl barley porridge;
• Hard cheese of low-fat varieties;
• Boiled lean fish (hake or pollock);
• One boiled egg.

One hour before the kidney ultrasound, drink 2-4 glasses of water. This will fill your bladder with enough liquid by the time of the examination. If it's difficult to withhold urination before the examination, you can empty your bladder, but then drink 1-2 glasses of water again.

Preparing for a prostate ultrasound consists of two stages:

• Bowel cleansing a few hours before the examination. It is recommended to use a cleansing enema with 1.5 liters of cool water. You can also use microclysters or special suppositories for rectal administration to cleanse the intestines of fecal matter and gases. Bowel cleansing significantly improves the effectiveness of the examination;
• Bladder filling. Drink 1-1.5 liters of liquid (preferably plain water without gas) one to one and a half hours before the examination and avoid emptying your bladder until the examination.

In some cases, preparation for TRUS may also involve a special diet, which includes avoiding products that promote gas production: fresh vegetables and fruits, dairy products, black bread, carbonated drinks, legumes, cabbage, and alcoholic beverages.

• Ultrasound of the arteries of the lower or upper limbs
• Ultrasound of the veins of the lower or upper limbs
• Ultrasound of lymph nodes (except abdominal)
• Ultrasound of soft tissues
• Ultrasound of testicular structures
• Ultrasound of superficial structures
• Echocardiography (ultrasound of the heart)
• Ultrasound of salivary glands
• Ultrasound of cerebral and neck vessels
• Ultrasound of joints
• Ultrasound of the thyroid gland