Abdominal ultrasound is done on an empty stomach. Can I eat and drink before an abdominal ultrasound scan? Symptoms for which an abdominal ultrasound is indicated

Doctors have always tried to get the most complete picture of the body's performance. Today they manage to achieve this. After all, ultrasound has come to the aid of doctors for the correct diagnosis of diseases. It is no secret that the success of treatment depends on the correctly identified pathology. Ultrasound is used to diagnose many diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. What is the advantage of such a survey? How to properly prepare for it? And what will an ultrasound of the stomach show?

Indications for the appointment of a survey

To understand what will show, you need to figure out under what conditions of the body it is prescribed. The examination is recommended for patients who have:

ulcer;
chronic gastritis;
painful discomfort in the upper abdomen;
frequent belching or heartburn;
indigestion;
frequent vomiting.

With recurrent bronchitis, bronchial asthma, profuse regurgitation of infants is also prescribed an ultrasound scan. Such an examination will provide the doctor with a complete picture of the pathology. It allows you to identify the presence of a deviation in the size of the organ from permissible norm... In addition, ultrasound shows the presence of foreign formations, tumors.

Benefits of ultrasound

Some patients have many questions. What will ultrasound of the stomach show? Why is such research preferable?

The widespread popularity of this survey is due to the following factors:

it is perfectly safe;
the ultrasound results are completely reliable;
the examination is very convenient;
Ultrasound does not require careful and lengthy preparation;
does not apply to expensive procedures.

Ultrasonic waves are used in the study. They are completely safe for humans. The procedure itself lasts about fifteen minutes. Therefore, she cannot negatively affect the patient.

There are simple rules to remember. Despite the fact that the patient does not need careful preparation for the examination, on the eve of the ultrasound, some recommendations must be followed. By adhering to them, the patient will make it possible to more effectively diagnose the body.

So how to prepare for a stomach ultrasound? This is quite simple to do. For three days before the scheduled ultrasound, the patient must follow a special diet. Such nutrition is aimed at eliminating excess. The diet involves the use of liquid (1.5 liters) during the day, fractional food intake. In this case, you need to eat in small portions.

Excluded Products

Refuse food that is capable of stomach ultrasound. Preparation includes the elimination of the following products:

peas, beans;
raw fruits, vegetables;
muffins, black bread;
various sweets;
fatty meat and fish products;
carbonated drinks;
dairy products;
juices, coffee;
alcohol.

Patients should understand what smoking causes as a result of this, the patient may be misdiagnosed.

Consumed products

fish (boiled or steamed);
scrambled eggs;
chicken or beef;
low-fat cheese;
cereal porridge cooked in water.

Medicines and procedures

Preparing the body for an ultrasound scan may include taking some medicines:

Preparations that reduce gas formation. it Activated carbon, means "Simethicone". If the choice fell on the last drug, then it should be taken the day before the ultrasound. And always in the morning before the examination.
Medicines that improve the digestive process. Preparations "Festal", "Mezim".
Laxatives. People suffering from constipation should take the herbal preparation Senade the day before the procedure.

The procedure for preparing for the study is quite simple. However, it does not apply to mandatory recommendations. However, compliance with it allows you to more accurately diagnose the state of the organ.

Survey

The procedure is usually appointed in morning time... An ultrasound of the stomach is performed on an empty stomach. The patient should have with him still water (1 liter) or juice. Your doctor may recommend drinking a liquid before the ultrasound. This will stretch the stomach so that the doctor can better see the condition of the walls, shape, functioning and pathological changes.

The patient is advised to lie down on a couch. A water gel is applied to the abdomen. This expels any remaining air between the sensor and the skin. The examination begins. The doctor moves the sensor over the abdomen, pressing it at a variety of angles.

After a while, it is recommended to drink water through a straw. This procedure allows you to consider the flow of fluid into the stomach from the esophagus. In addition, the lower esophagus is more clearly visualized. The procedure itself lasts about half an hour.

The patient receives the results of ultrasound immediately after the examination. The conclusion is printed on letterhead. It is signed by the doctor and stamped by the institution. In addition, the results are recorded on a CD. This measure allows the attending physician to see all the described changes. Recording is also useful in case of repeated ultrasound. The doctor will be able to better assess all the changes that have occurred during the course of the disease.

FGDS;
colonoscopy;
gastrography;
irrigoscopy.

Research results

Ultrasound of the stomach cannot replace endoscopic or X-ray examination. However, it gives an idea of the state of the walls of the organ, its outer contours, helps to control regression or relapse of the pathological process.

So, what will an ultrasound of the stomach show? It fully examines functions and reveals reflexivity. Ultrasound will provide information about the thickness of the stomach walls, inflammatory processes, tumors. The study will reliably clarify the localization of the pathology, allow you to study the blood flow, and distinguish between small structures. Such a survey provides answers to many questions.

Ultrasound of the stomach can detect the following conditions:

neoplastic diffuse wall thickening;
hypertrophic congenital pyloric stenosis;
swelling of the walls;
varicose veins;
tumor aberrant vessels;
acquired pyloric stenosis;
tumors;
no delimitation of the walls;
carcinoma of the stomach;
mesenchymal tumor;
lymphoma of the stomach.

Opinions of patients and doctors

Most people refer to effective procedures Ultrasound of the stomach. Patient reviews indicate that many do not understand the features of this examination. When faced with it for the first time, people ask many different questions, including asking about what the ultrasound of the stomach will show.

Patients who have undergone this examination are surprised to note that it is very easy and simple to identify a variety of conditions. Doctors agree with this opinion. After all, ultrasound allows you to identify quite serious pathologies in the early stages. At the same time, the simplicity of the method and harmlessness allow examining almost all patients.

There are many diagnostic methods to help your doctor make a correct diagnosis. One of them is ultrasound. Some studies, such as ultrasound abdominal cavity, you should prepare in a certain way so that the result is reliable and highly informative.

The purpose of the survey

Some diseases signal themselves with minor symptoms common to many diseases, therefore, to clarify the diagnosis, the doctor may prescribe ultrasound diagnostics.

An abdominal ultrasound scan involves examining the liver, stomach, gallbladder and ducts, pancreas, spleen, and intestines.

Based on the results of an ultrasound of the abdominal cavity, in case of any suspicion, additional examinations can be prescribed: uterus, prostate, bladder and kidneys, as well as large vessels, lymph nodes.

Preparation for the examination of the abdominal organs

In order to avoid excessive flatulence, distorting the ultrasound picture, it is important to follow a number of recommendations:

three days before the examination - fractional meals 4-5 times a day, drink at least 1.5 liters of fluid per day; exclude from the menu all gas-forming products - sweets, fruits, vegetables, fatty meat and fish, alcohol, sweet soda, milk, dairy products, juices, legumes and others; with flatulence, enzyme preparations and adsorbents are prescribed;
on the eve of the examination - dinner until 20.00; exclude meat and fish dishes; with a tendency to constipation, laxatives are prescribed, if they do not help, a cleansing enema will be required 12 hours before the ultrasound; drugs for bloating are prescribed one day before the examination;
on the day of the examination - the morning procedure is performed on an empty stomach; if the ultrasound is after 15.00 - a light breakfast is allowed until 11 o'clock; 2 hours before the examination, it is necessary to take an adsorbent; it is possible to prescribe an enema in the morning before an ultrasound scan with a tendency of the intestines to flatulence.

Additional factors affecting information content:

it is advisable not to smoke for two hours before the study;
exclude chewing gums and lozenges 2 hours before the ultrasound;
if there was an X-ray examination of the gastrointestinal tract using contrast agents - ultrasound diagnostics should be postponed for 2-3 days;
endoscopy of the gastrointestinal tract, laparoscopy - postpone ultrasound for 3-5 days;
taking antispasmodics - after consulting the attending physician, cancel the day before the study.
to examine the kidneys and bladder, the latter must be filled - you need to drink 0.5 liters of water an hour before the procedure and not urinate.

Features of preparing children for research

Children under one year old are not fed for 3-4 hours, do not drink for 1 hour before the procedure. Children 1 to 3 years old should not eat for 4 hours and not drink for 1 hour before the ultrasound. If the child is over 3 years old, it is recommended not to eat for 6-8 hours and not drink for 1 hour before the procedure.

Symptoms needing attention

In the presence of some signs, ultrasound diagnostics is simply necessary - to exclude serious pathologies. Make an appointment for an abdominal ultrasound in our medical center if you notice:

bitter taste in the mouth;
subfebrile temperature (long-term 37-38 ° C);
vomiting, often nauseous;
heaviness in the stomach;
pain in the abdomen, lower back, under the chest, in the left and right hypochondrium;
increased flatulence;
burning, pain, pain when urinating, more frequent trips to the toilet.

Our medical centers employ qualified ultrasound doctors with many years of experience, which guarantees high level the quality of the survey. The doctors have at their disposal expert-class ultrasound equipment, which allows them to carry out accurate diagnostics and make the correct diagnosis on time.

Check out current promotions

In this article, I want to talk about proper preparation before examining the abdominal organs.

After all, if you come unprepared for the procedure, then the quality of monitoring will be low, and the results are not reliable.

Therefore, I decided to write this material. Save it to your bookmarks so as not to lose it.

Remember! The procedure should be carried out on an empty stomach. This means that you should not eat, drink water, or other liquids 8-12 hours before your appointment. In response to the production of gastric juice, the gallbladder contracts and releases bile. It makes no sense to examine this organ in a half-empty or empty state - its structure, content and form are visualized only in conditions of full-fledged filling.
The opinion of specialists on the optimal time for the procedure differs - some gastroenterologists insist on the morning hours of the examination, since this ensures the maximum interval between meals and ultrasound. In addition, in the afternoon, due to reflex gastric discharge small amount hydrochloric acid, the gallbladder contracts even in conditions of refusal from the usual diet, which is the main argument in favor of morning ultrasound procedures. Other doctors allow the study to be carried out in the afternoon - when lung condition early breakfast and subsequent refusal to eat until the end of the manipulation.
People who smoke should refrain from cigarettes prior to the procedure. Nicotine can also cause a partial contraction of the gallbladder.
Chewing gum should not be used before the doctor's appointment - the secretion of gastric juice stimulates the contraction of the gallbladder.
If you are taking medication, you should check the time of the ultrasound scan. The ideal option is to take medication at the end of an early test procedure. Otherwise, the interval between medication intake and examination should be at least 6-8 hours. If you are taking drugs that stimulate the activity of the digestive tract, the need to take them on the eve of an ultrasound scan should be agreed with your doctor.
It is forbidden to take antispasmodics and pain relievers until the end of the ultrasound examination.

Cannot be carried out after some diagnostic procedures (on the same day):

Endoscopic examinations (FGDS, colonoscopy) - air entering the stomach and intestines during manipulation makes it difficult for ultrasound to pass and monitoring of the gastrointestinal tract. An ultrasound scan is allowed only 1-2 days after the examination.
X-ray contrast studies (irrigoscopy, gastroscopy, CT or MRI with contrast) - a contrast agent, visualized on an ultrasound machine, distorts the observation picture. It takes about 2-3 days to remove the contrast agent, after which you can perform the ultrasound procedure of the internal organs.

Diet before ultrasound of the abdominal organs

The purpose of the diet before ultrasound is to minimize the intensity of fermentation processes in the intestine as much as possible. Air is a kind of barrier to the propagation of ultrasound, and accumulations of gases can significantly complicate the transfer of accurate information to the sensor from the organ under study.

In this case, the specialist has the right to postpone the procedure to another day, due to additional preparation of the patient's intestines, or to carry out monitoring, the accuracy of which will be highly questionable.

During the diet, foods that increase gas production should be excluded from the diet:

vegetables and fruits;
legumes;
milk and dairy products;
flour products and sweets (bread, muffins, cookies, sweets, gingerbread, etc.);
fatty meat dishes;
fatty fish;
carbonated drinks, juices, compotes;
alcohol.

Foodstuffs permitted for consumption and forming the basis of dietary nutrition on the eve of the study:

porridge on the water from grain cereals (oatmeal, buckwheat, pearl barley, millet, barley, wheat, rice);
lean meat (lean beef, chicken, turkey, rabbit);
lean fish (cod, flounder, hake, pollock, haddock, sea bass, pike, river perch);
eggs (no more than 1 piece per day);
hard cheeses;
boiled potatoes, beets, carrots are allowed (if there is no individual reaction).

Of course, the above products should not be eaten fried. Nutritionists recommend steaming, boiling, stewing or baking dishes.

It is necessary to adhere to the principle of regular fractional food intake - 4-5 times a day, every 3-4 hours, in small portions. Dinner should be light, preferably no later than 4 hours before bedtime.

Taking medications for abdominal ultrasound

Patients with gastrointestinal disorders often require additional drug preparation for the study.

With a tendency to flatulence, special medications are prescribed that reduce gas formation (Espumisan, Meteospazmil, Spasm Simplex and their analogues) or enterosorbents (activated carbon, Enterosgel, Polysorb, Polyphepan, etc.) in within 3 days before the procedure.

Alternatively, the doctor may prescribe the intake of enzymes ("Mezim-forte", "Festal", "Creon", "Pancreatin") for 2-3 days before the study, for intestinal degassing.

Bowel cleansing before ultrasound of the abdominal organs

If the patient has irregular bowel movements or chronic constipation, a complete bowel movement should be achieved before the ultrasound examination.

In case of constipation, it is recommended on the eve of the ultrasound to take a laxative (laxative collection, "Guttalax", "Fitolax", etc.) or use suppositories that facilitate defecation ("Glycerax", "Bisacodyl", glycerin suppositories, etc.).
The use of such intensive preparations for bowel cleansing as Fortrans, Endofalk before ultrasound procedures is not recommended by doctors.
As an alternative to laxatives, enema is sometimes used (for example, if in the morning it was not possible to fully empty the intestines) 1-1.5 liters of water at room temperature.

Forced bowel cleansing is not at all necessary if the subject has regular bowel movements - in this case, natural emptying is sufficient.

Immediately before the ultrasound procedure, it is necessary to inform the functional diagnostics specialist about the existing diseases and the drugs being taken at the moment.

Proper preparation for an abdominal ultrasound is an important part of ensuring reliable results. Informing the patient about the rules for preparing for an ultrasound of the abdominal cavity is in the competence of the doctor who gave the direction for such a diagnosis.

Abdominal ultrasound is performed both for therapeutic diagnostics and before surgery. Such an ultrasound scan is completely harmless, even if it is performed multiple times.

Why do you need to prepare for an ultrasound scan?

Preparation for ultrasound of the abdominal organs should include the following activities:

special diet and diet before the procedure;
exclusion of existing bad habits;
adjusting the regimen for taking medications;
cleansing the gastrointestinal tract.

Diet before an ultrasound of the abdominal cavity will allow you to properly prepare for a diagnostic examination. If diagnostics of diseases of the abdominal organs are planned in the near future, then it is recommended to abandon for some time from other diagnostic measures, for example, X-ray using a contrast agent.

Distortion of the ultrasound results can be caused by the action of such factors as:

cramps and contractions of intestinal smooth muscles during the examination;
bloated intestines;
abdominal obesity;
significant skin lesions in the abdominal region;
the presence in the intestine of the remnants of the contrast agent, which was used when conducting an X-ray of the abdominal cavity;
excess physical activity during an ultrasound scan.

Diet before undergoing an ultrasound examination of the abdominal cavity allows you to level the amount of gases and processed food in the intestine, which affects the reliability of the data obtained

Increased gas production is often an obstacle to a complete diagnosis, since accumulated gases interfere with clear visualization of organs. Fat in the abdomen also interferes with organ visualization. In this case, ultrasonic waves cannot penetrate deep into the tissues and reflect the organs under study.

Diet regimen before examination

A strict diet should be followed about 3-6 days before the expected day of the abdominal examination. The main task is to exclude and prevent increased gassing. Therefore, at this time, it is forbidden to eat foods that contribute to the formation of gases. The following foods should be temporarily excluded from the diet:

drinks with gas;
milk;
all legumes, regardless of the method of preparation;
raw vegetables;
fruits that provoke the formation of gases;
sweets and yeast products;
cottage cheese and dairy products;
strong drinks with caffeine;
black breads;
fatty fish and meat;
alcohol.

It is allowed to use boiled beef and chicken, preferably brisket, quail. Eating fish is allowed baked, boiled or steamed. Boiled eggs are allowed, but only 1 per day. It is advisable to eat porridge cooked in water, with the exception of rice. It is allowed to include in the diet of low-fat hard cheese.

An important part of the diet is the diet, you need to eat often and in small portions. Do not drink while eating. It is recommended to drink at least 1.5 liters of clean water per day. This diet should be observed until the evening before the day of the ultrasound.

It is desirable that an ultrasound of the digestive system be performed in the morning and on an empty stomach. If the procedure is scheduled for the second half of the day, then a light snack is decided, you cannot eat before the procedure.

Reception of carminative agents

To solve problems associated with the formation and accumulation of gases in the abdominal cavity, you can take one of the drugs: Espumisan, Smecta, white or activated carbon. If the ultrasound is for the child, then Espumisan, Bobotic will do. Children should not drink activated charcoal. Dosages of drugs are indicated in the annotation.

If Espumisan is recommended for taking before diagnosis within 3 days, then these sorbents can be taken only the night before, this will be enough to relieve symptoms that interfere with the ultrasound scan. If adult patients have no history of pancreatitis, then they can take their usual drugs to improve digestion.

Bowel cleansing

In order to properly prepare for an ultrasound of the abdominal organs, it is also necessary to carry out bowel cleansing procedures. For this, an enema is used, it is placed on the eve of the day of the diagnostic examination, in the evening. Take Esmarch's mug and fill it with cool tap water, about 1.5 liters. After a cleansing enema, it is recommended to take sorbents or drugs that eliminate bloating in the abdominal cavity.

After setting an enema, symptoms of bloating may appear, so it is recommended to take sorbing drugs

If it is not possible to deliver an enema, then microclysters such as Microlax or Norgalax can be used for this purpose. Instead of a cleansing enema, using the Esmarch mug, you can take herbal laxatives. In addition, Fortrans powder will help cleanse the intestines. Before use, it must be dissolved in water and drunk within an hour, preferably taken before 7 pm. It is approved for use only by persons over 14 years of age.

you should not smoke a couple of hours before the start of the examination;
it is advisable not to eat lollipops or chewing gum;
if an X-ray was taken with a contrast agent, then at least 2 days should pass before the ultrasound examination;
in the presence of chronic conditions that require taking medications on an ongoing basis, you need to inform the ultrasound diagnostics doctor about this;
if the kidneys are to be examined, it is advisable to fill the bladder. To do this, you need to drink about 0.5 liters. liquids, it is better to drink water without gas or tea without sugar. Bladder is released only after research has been carried out.

It is necessary to prepare for an abdominal ultrasound in compliance with all the prescribed rules and recommendations. If you prepare correctly, you can reliably determine the cause of abdominal pain, assess the condition of the liver and gallbladder, identify kidney diseases, and examine the pancreas. In addition, such an examination will allow to identify conditions that threaten the patient's life, for example, acute appendicitis, and to prescribe additional diagnostics and treatment of appendicitis or other disease in time.

Ultrasound examination is a non-invasive method of examining a person, but with its relative simplicity, it requires special preparation on the part of the patient before conducting it. In order for the specialist to be able to clearly see the internal organs on the monitor screen of the ultrasound machine, it is necessary to strictly follow the doctor's recommendations regarding the patient's diet and lifestyle on the eve of the study.

However, the patient himself should be interested in the information content and correctness of the results of the procedure performed. For example, no one wants the doctor to confuse the gas in the intestines with something much more serious, or vice versa. Therefore, preparation for an ultrasound of the abdominal cavity is a very important and responsible process.

This article discusses the most important issues regarding the preparation and conduct of an ultrasound scan.

When is abdominal ultrasound prescribed?

Any type of examination is prescribed only when there are indications for this. So, ultrasound examination is carried out in order to:

establish the cause of abdominal pain;
assess the condition of the liver, gallbladder and its ducts, pancreas, kidneys;
check blood flow and general condition of the aorta;
confirm or deny the fact of acute appendicitis;
conduct an audit of internal organs without surgery.

How to prepare for an abdominal ultrasound?

Before conducting the study, you should follow a special diet and, if you have to take medications, consult with your doctor, which of them should be temporarily excluded. The sequence of other abdominal examinations, such as barium examinations, should also be discussed.

What is included in a special diet?

legumes, cabbage;
vegetables and fruits, juices;
baked goods and flour products;
milk products;
fatty foods, including fish and meat.

It is important to give up on carbonated drinks these days, not to consume strong coffee, tea and, of course, alcoholic beverages, especially beer, to minimize the consumption of sweets.

The most suitable products for a special menu are:

cereal porridge on water without adding milk or a large amount of butter;
lean meat and fish;
hard-boiled eggs, but not more than 1-2 per day;
low-fat cheese.

It is worth noting that you should eat in small portions, dividing the daily allowance into 4-5 meals. It is better to drink not with meals, but after or an hour before. The best choice the drink will become weak, slightly sweetened tea or still water.

Fasting or not?

Many are worried about whether it is possible to eat on the day of the ultrasound procedure of the abdominal organs. If the examination is scheduled for the morning, then you cannot have breakfast that day. But it also happens that the study is scheduled for a later time, in the afternoon. In this case, a light breakfast is allowed no later than 10:00, this is especially important for people with diabetes.

Can i drink water before the procedure?

If a woman, for example, needs to undergo an ultrasound of the pelvic organs, then all the preparation recommendations will be also useful, only, as with a kidney examination, you will need to consume up to one and a half liters of water or juice immediately before the ultrasound examination.

How else to prepare at home for an abdominal ultrasound?

An important part of the preparation for ultrasound of the abdominal cavity and retroperitoneal space, which should not be forgotten, is bowel cleansing. It should be carried out in the evening, on the eve of the procedure, no later than six o'clock in the evening. It is produced using a regular enema and one and a half liters of cool, but not cold water.

There is also an alternative to carrying out such an "execution". In this case, prescribe the intake of drugs that improve digestion ("Festal", "Mezim"), reduce the formation of gases in the intestine ("Smecta", "Enterosgel", "Espumisan"), and with a tendency to constipation - a laxative of plant origin ("Senade ") Or candles with bisacodyl. A few years ago, activated carbon was used, but today it has been replaced by new, no less effective drugs.

It is worth preparing for the fact that during the two hours preceding the ultrasound procedure, you must not smoke, suck lollipops and chew gum.

Preparing a child for an ultrasound of the abdominal organs

Unfortunately, not only adults but also children get sick. Sometimes even a baby has to do such an examination. And if it is easy for an adult to force himself to follow the necessary training algorithm, then what about the children? Preparing for an ultrasound of the child's abdominal cavity differs from the instructions for adults.

To examine a newborn or infant under one year old, it is enough to plan the feeding in such a way that after the last meal and before the ultrasound, about 3 hours pass.
Children two to three years old will have to endure a little more without food - they should be given breakfast or lunch 4 hours before the procedure.
Children over 3 years old need to fast for at least 6 hours, and exclude gas-forming foods from the diet in three days. So, if an ultrasound scan is scheduled for the afternoon, then the child can be given food. But you should not strive to ensure that your child is full for the whole day, it is enough to eat one boiled egg or cereal boiled in water in the morning.

Summarizing all of the above, it can be argued that special preparation for ultrasound examination is needed to obtain the most accurate examination results. The doctor, having received a clear photo of the diseased organ, will be able to unequivocally make a diagnosis.