Ultrasound examination is the safest diagnostic method today. It allows you to make a timely and correct diagnosis.

Ultrasound allows you to examine almost any organ. However, some studies require careful preparation in order to obtain adequate results.

If we are talking about the study of the abdominal cavity, then before carrying out it will have to adhere to a diet. First of all, you will need to avoid foods that can cause bloating and gas formation. The fact is that bloating can cause poor sound transmission, and hence inaccurate results and an incorrect diagnosis.

General rules

If the patient does not have any problems with emptying the intestines, then going to the toilet in the morning and evening will be enough before the ultrasound. The examination is carried out only on an empty stomach.

The last meal cannot be later than 8-12 hours before the ultrasound. The last time you can eat only light food. If the examination is scheduled for the afternoon, breakfast is allowed, but very early in the morning. This can be a small amount of allowed boiled meat, crackers and porridge on the water. However, after 1-1.5 hours, it is imperative to take activated carbon. The absorbent is taken in the proportion of 1 tablet per 10 kg of the patient’s weight.

If there are problems with the stool, then they must be solved before undergoing an ultrasound scan, but in no case with an enema. Such a procedure is possible only 1-2 days before the examination.

The use of suppositories and light laxative medications is allowed. If there is a problem with gases, then it should also be solved, enterosorbents are best suited .

There are no prohibitions regarding the use of pure water before an ultrasound scan. Only it must be non-carbonated. It is recommended to quit smoking, chewing gum and lozenges.

In the case of regular medication, this should be immediately told to the doctor before the ultrasound scan. Do not forget to also inform that on the eve of FGDS , colonoscopy , gastrography and other examinations took place. After these, abdominal ultrasound results may be distorted. At least 2 days should pass between these examinations. The reason is that the contrast medium used can skew the results.

It is recommended to use Espumisan as an aid . It is drunk according to the manufacturer’s instructions, for 3 days before the start of the examination.

In some cases, you can use activated carbon. It is consumed 3 hours before the start of an ultrasound scan, in an amount of at least 6 tablets. However, taking any medications must be agreed with your doctor.

When it is planned to conduct a study of the kidneys, together with an ultrasound of the abdominal cavity, then 1 hour before the start it is necessary to drink 1.5 liters of liquid. It can be plain water, without gas or tea, but always without sugar.

Why you need a diet

The accuracy of the obtained abdominal ultrasound tests depends on many factors. Not least is the experience and qualifications of the doctor who conducts it. The hardware itself also matters.

However, the distortion of the results may be due to the patient’s obesity and the large amount of fluid inside the body. In the presence of 3-4 degrees of obesity, as a rule, the results obtained do not carry any information, therefore, in such cases, alternative examination methods are usually prescribed. And most importantly, the patient’s body should not have an excess of gases in the intestines and stomach. It is they that interfere with the passage of the ultrasound signal, therefore, it is extremely difficult to determine the state of the internal organs.

Basic principles of ultrasound scanning of organs

An ultrasound examination is a visual technique based on the passage of high-frequency sound signals. The sensor of the device contains a large number of crystals that produce sound signals upon contact with a person’s electric field. These reflective sounds are sent to the apparatus on which the insides are projected.

Depending on the depth of reflection, there are 3 types of images:

• A-mode or amplitude. This is the most elementary image, which is rarely used lately, as it carries little information;
• B-mode. In this case, not one beam is used, but several at once. A 2D image appears on the screen. This is the most common image fusion technique to date.
• M-mode. This technique is also based on single-beam signal transmission and is most often used in cardiology.

Today it is possible to undergo 2-D and 3-D ultrasound. The differences in such a survey are only in what image is fed to the monitor of the apparatus. For both sensors, the power and radiation intensity remains the same. It turns out that in the physical sense there are no differences, but in the diagnostic sense, the three-dimensional image is more informative. They receive it through a special module on an ultrasound machine.

Ultrasound is an absolutely safe method of examining the body and is widely used in obstetrics. No clinical studies have confirmed the negative effect of ultrasound signals on the body.

What internal organs are assessed with abdominal ultrasound

Ultrasound of the abdominal cavity involves a study of the state of the following organs:

• spleen;
• liver;
• gallbladder;
• genitourinary system;
• pancreas.

With the help of ultrasound, it is almost impossible to correctly diagnose the condition of the hollow organs: the intestines and stomach. It is actually a gaseous medium that is practically not scanned by ultrasound.

During an ultrasound of the abdominal cavity, the retroperitoneal space, that is, the kidneys, can also be examined.

Allowed Products

The preparatory stage for the study begins 3 days before its conduct. On these days it is allowed to use:

• boiled beef;
• low-fat fish, but only in boiled, baked, steamed;
• hard boiled eggs, no more than 1 pc. throughout the day;
• oatmeal;
• boiled poultry meat;
• pearl barley porridge;
• other cereals;
• hard cheese, low-fat;
• baked apples;
• pearl barley porridge.

It is imperative to drink water, especially before and after a meal, 1 hour in advance. The total amount of water per day should not be less than 1.5 liters. You can drink tea that is not strong and not very sweet.

You need to eat in small portions and every 3 hours, avoiding hunger.

If a person has diabetes, then he is allowed to eat a light breakfast. It is also recommended to eat a couple of sugar cubes or drink sweet tea, with crackers.

Babies, babies can also be fed. But the last meal should not be earlier than 3-3.5 hours before the start of the procedure. More lenient policies also apply to pregnant women. They can eat even 2 hours before the examination, if it is absolutely impossible to endure hunger.

Fully or partially limited products

Any legumes are completely banned. Also not allowed to use:

• drinks with gas;
• black bread;
• cottage cheese;
• spices;
• sauerkraut;
• sweets and muffins;
• fermented milk products;
• fatty fish;
• milk;
• spice;
• any pickled and fermented dishes;
• chewing gum;
• vegetables and fruits, especially raw.

We’ll have to completely abandon alcohol and coffee, cocoa. You cannot drink juices, fruit drinks.

Power mode menu

The menu on the days before undergoing an abdominal ultrasound can be composed as follows:

• Breakfast. 1 hard-boiled egg, unsweetened green tea.
• Lunch. Baked apples.
• Dinner. Boiled beef, a little compote, preferably with a minimum amount of sugar.
• Afternoon snack. A little cheese, always low-fat.
• Dinner. Baked fish, always low-fat.

Before bed, you can drink unsweetened tea or still water.

You can eat porridge, but always steamed.

By the way, such a diet will even allow you to lose a few extra pounds, even in such a short period of time.

After the ultrasound procedure, there are no restrictions, you can return to the usual way of eating. New dietary restrictions may be required only if additional testing is needed. Do not neglect the above rules in order to get really correct results and so that you do not have to search again for the causes of your disease. Take care of yourself and be healthy.