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Ultrasound

What is an ultrasound scan?

Ultrasound uses high frequency sound waves to produce an image of various parts of the body. Sound waves are produced through a hand held probe passed over the surface of the skin. To help transmission of sound waves, a ‘coupling gel’ is applied to the scan area. Ultrasound is painless and should take only a few minutes. In most cases, no special preparation is needed before a scan. On some occasions however you may be asked to attend with a full bladder or not to consume food for a few hours.

Ultrasound is also commonly used for pregnancy scans. At Velindre, we use ultrasound to:

  • identify collections of fluids
  • investigate areas that may have shown up on a mammogram
  • rule out a clot in the veins of your arms or legs.

Scans are carried out by radiologists and a senior radiographer.

No radiation is used for this examination.