What will my child experience during and after the procedure?

Ultrasound examinations are painless and easily tolerated by most patients.

Your child will lie on his or her back on an examining table. The radiologist or sonographer will spread warm gel on the skin, then press and move the transducer firmly against the abdomen, moving it back and forth until the desired images are captured. There may be minimal discomfort from pressure as the transducer is pressed against the area being examined.

If scanning is performed over an area of tenderness, your child may feel pressure or minor pain from the procedure.

If a Doppler ultrasound study is performed, your child may actually hear pulse-like sounds that change in pitch as the blood flow is monitored and measured.

Once the imaging is complete, the gel will be wiped off your child's skin.

After an ultrasound exam, children should be able to resume their normal ac

Who interprets the results and how do we get them?

A radiologist, a physician specifically trained to supervise and interpret radiology examinations, will analyze the images and send a signed report to your primary care physician, or to the physician or other healthcare provider who requested the exam. Usually, the referring physician or health care provider will share the results with you. In some cases, the radiologist may discuss results with you at the conclusion of your examination.

Follow-up examinations may be necessary. Your doctor will explain the exact reason why another exam is requested. Sometimes a follow-up exam is done because a potential abnormality needs further evaluation with additional views or a special imaging technique. A follow-up examination may also be necessary so that any change in a known abnormality can be monitored over time. Follow-up examinations are sometimes the best way to see if treatment is working or if a finding is stable or changed over time.tivities.