When you arrive in the Ultrasound room you will be asked to lie on an examination couch. The lights from the room will be dimmed so that the pictures on the television screen can be seen more clearly. A gel will be applied onto your skin in the area to be scanned, such as the abdomen. The gel allows the sound waves to pass into the body. The sensor can also move over the skin more easily. The gel will be wiped off at the end of the scan.
There are two ways of scanning the pelvis for women. The first is through the abdomen. For this method a full bladder is essential to help produce good pictures. The second method uses a specially designed transducer, which is inserted into the vagina. This technique provides better, more accurate pictures of uterus and ovaries and avoids the discomfort of a full bladder.