AIBU to ask for your opinion - Abdominal ulstrasound today.

[LifesABeachCoaster]

Hi all, I have been having a few problems lately and have been booked in for an abdominal ultrasound/X Ray due to swelling around the spleen area.

I was wondering, I have the scan today - will I be told anything? Will they say if they see anything untoward? I am just wondering so I can prepare myself for "there is a shadow" or something equally scary!

Posting on this topic for traffic sorry!

[LifesABeachCoaster]

I had the exam and she said "well I can't see anything, however I will pass this onto the GP and you should make an appointment in around 10 days".

I didn't ask her, I did take a sneaky look at the screen not that I know what the hell I am looking for!

[Lucked]

thymeout most sonographers in the UK will issue reports without them being reviewed by someone more senior, a radiologist will only be involved if there is something difficult to interpret or the somographer needs advice on the best management or follow up.

There is no way of knowing if they will say anything until you have the exam. Hopefully you won’t have to wait long for the results. Best of luck.

[Thymeout]

Severn

I'm in the UK. I had a full abdominal u/s recently. I have lots of scans as I'm being monitored for a recurrence of an ovarian problem. I had a chatty sonographer who showed me the screen and gave me a guided tour of my insides. Amazing to see my aorta. But at the end, when I said, 'So that's OK then?' He said it looked OK but someone else would have to review it.

[GoldDustWomanSteph]

OP - I think it depends either on the policy of the Trust or the preference of individual sonographers.

I've been given the all clear by sonographers and others have said nothing to me - even if they can't see anything.

Good luck and remember, even if your scan does show something, it probably won't be anything sinister and it'll be something they can sort out. That's what scans are for!

[SevernWye]

Thymeout I would just like to point out that in the UK ultrasounds are carried out by qualified sonographer, they do the examination, interpret the images and write the report, it is not checked by anyone else.

X-rays, CT and MRI scans are carried out by Radiographers and the images are reported by Radiologists.

[WhirlyGigWhirlyGig]

I've had two abdo scans in the last two years. One told me nothing and said they'd send a report to the requesting doc, second told me there and then that there was nothing wrong at all and chatted through it telling me what she was looking at.

[TheChickenOfTruth]

I've had several and I've found it depends greatly on why I'm there and who is doing the scan. When I went in to look for fibroids etc, the doctor was in the room at the same time and so told me immediately that everything looked OK, but they would review and get back to me. When I went in with lower abdominal pain, the sonographer was confused and kept muttering to himself "what is that?!" so he asked for a second opinion and told me there was something there but they didn't know what it was. I ended up having it surgically removed a couple of hours later. Then I've had scans where no one would tell me anything and I've had to wait for the results. So not very helpful in afraid!

[VladmirsPoutine]

Unfortunately I've found that they don't tell you anything that might cause undue worry or panic even if there is something that 'should' - this is so that it can be reviewed, they can consult and so forth then generate the results. I hope it all goes well for you but patience is key here.

[Thymeout]

It varies. But please remember that they're not qualified to interpret the scans. Even when they've told me that it looks OK, they've reminded me that someone higher up will be reviewing the scan and writing the report. The most important question to ask is how long it will take to get the results. They usually know if there's a back log and it will save you panicking every time the phone rings.

I don't usually ask. I'd spend too much wasted time micro-analysing their facial expression or tone of voice.

Mega sympathies for your anxiety. Try to think of it as one stage closer to getting your problem sorted. It's a personality thing. I'll never understand why people pay out thousands for an annual MoT.

Fingers crossed it turns out well for you. I'm told that most scans are negative, just ruling out possibilities.

[fuzzywuzzy]

I've had abdominal ultrasounds and she did talk me thro what she could see.

during mine she could see a shadow, which turned out not to be anything concerning but I needed further investigations. So don't be scared if they see something it could turn out to be nothing.

I had mine due to constant bleeding.

Also follow the instructions on your appointment letter, I was the only one who turned up with a full bladder those who didn't had to drink water and wait.

Hope everything goes well.

[PUGaLUGS]

Good luck with yours today, I too have to have one this afternoon. Am not looking forward to drinking the litre of water an hour before.

[SpottingTheZebras]

I hope it all goes well. When I had my scans I was told a report would go back to the GP and I needed to make an appointment to see her about the results.

[LifesABeachCoaster]

Yes I know I wont get any diagnosis and I suppose them telling me anything would either give me false hope or extra worry so may I wont ask.

I do want answers though as this pain is really concerning and the not knowing is hard!

I have to have a full bladder and am struggling already!

[SuchAToDo]

I've had abdominal ultrasounds before, I think officially they aren't meant to say anything and you are to wait for your results, but the people who did mine were always nice and told me if there was anything showing up...

[Monkey44]

I've had a couple for fibroid issues etc and they usually talked through what they could see as they scanned. I felt nervous too but It was all ok and nothing to be worried about, just felt relieved really to understand what it was. Good luck OP, I hope it goes well for you

[mrsjoyfulprizeforraffiawork]

Lots of them won't discuss it at all with you - they are doing the scan at the request of your referring doctor, who is the one who should discuss the results with you, so don't get worried if they won't tell you anything.

[aLilNonnyMouse]

I've had a few and was told nothing at all until I was back with my GP. Mine were all at various places around the country so not just the policy of a single hospital.

If you are likely to worry it might be better to say you don't want them to tell you anything just in case though.

[LifesABeachCoaster]

Thanks everyone. Perhaps I will ask her if she saw anything. Boy I am scared.

[Kool4katz]

Sorry I don't know about the U.K. but when I had mine in Ireland, I was there ages and the sonographer/doctor talked me through the scan, pointing out what was what and gave me a cd to take home. It was private so I paid about £100 but it was well worth it as the appt was arranged 3 days after seeing my GP.
I think you have more direct access to your records over here compared to what I've had in the U.K. previously.
I was referred because I had unexplained period type pain and some bloating and had a history of fibroids.

[Butterflycookie]

I’ve had a few ultrasounds in the past. They never say anything. However I always ask them if they found something or not! They will tell you if they can or can’t see anything. In all my cases, they say they can’t see anything concerning but they will have a proper look at the scans later and then write back to the doctor.

[RayRayBidet]

I had one for my ovaries, uterus etc checking for cysts, fibroids, tumours. The sonographer told me what she could see. But I don't know if that's normal or just her.
Hope all is well and you don't wait long to find out