Ultrasound

Queensland X-Ray offers a superior quality ultrasound service with highly trained staff and specialised equipment. Our offering is unrivalled and forms the foundation of our promise to provide a clearer picture of your health.

What is an Ultrasound?

Ultrasound examinations can be performed on most parts of the body and provide excellent information about a variety of conditions - from pregnancy to gallstones, varicose veins and even muscle tears. During an ultrasound examination sound waves are bounced back from parts of the body (like sonar) to give black and white (or in some cases colour) images. The sonographer uses a transducer (a hand-held device which produces and receives the sound waves) to produce the images. Ultrasound shows anatomy in "real-time" showing movement.

Ultrasound is particularly useful in pregnancy as there is no ionising radiation or known harmful effects.
You can learn more about our specialist Women’s Diagnostic Centres here

What should I expect when I arrive for my appointment?

To enable good contact between the ultrasound transducer and the patient, a layer of gel is spread over the area to be examined, therefore patients may be asked to change into a gown. The procedure is usually carried out lying down.

After the examination, the gel is simply wiped from the skin so that it does not mark clothing. The gel is water soluble and thus easily washed out of clothes if any contact is made.

How long does it take?

At Queensland X-Ray, our emphasis for ultrasound is on quality. Accordingly, our appointments are managed to ensure adequate time is scheduled to allow a quality examination to be completed and ensure a safe working environment for our sonographers.

Ultrasound examinations take approximately 30 minutes to complete. However, they may take up to one hour in some cases.  In particular, ultrasound of the blood vessels may take up to one and a half hours.

Is there any special preparation?

Depending on the ultrasound examination requested, patients may be asked to fast from food and fluids. Some examinations require the patient to drink a significant amount of water prior to arriving to ensure your bladder is full. Patients will be advised of the appropriate preparation when making the appointment but some guidelines are listed below.

PREGNANCY OR PELVIC:
MUST HAVE A FULL BLADDER AT APPOINTMENT TIME.
Drink 500mls of CLEAR fluid one hour before study. MUST NOT empty bladder.
Exception: In patients undergoing only a Transvaginal Ultrasound and in cases of advanced pregnancy (after 24 weeks) only moderate bladder filling is required.

UPPER ABDOMEN:
Nothing to eat, drink or smoke for six hours prior to appointment.

DUPLEX LEG ARTERIAL, RENAL ARTERIES, ABDOMINAL DOPPLER:
Six hour fast, no smoking.

How much does it cost?

Queensland X-Ray offers bulk billing and concessions for some of its services. The cost of your examination depends on a number of factors which will be clarified when you make a booking or arrive at the practice.

Locations where we offer this procedure

Brisbane
Bayside
Beenleigh
Browns Plains
Capalaba
Cleveland
Coorparoo
Greenslopes Private Hospital
Logan Central
Logan Road
Loganholme
Mater Private Hospital
Mater Women’s Diagnostic Centre
QEII Hospital
St Vincent’s
Sunnybank Private Hospital
Sunnybank Women’s Diagnostic Centre
Upper Mt Gravatt
Wynnum

Cairns
Cairns Private Hospital
Cairns X-Ray

Atherton 

Gold Coast
Southport

Mackay
Mater Private Hospital

Townsville
Domain
Mater Private Hospital - Pimlico
Mater Private Hospital - Hyde Park

Toowoomba
Russell Street
St Andrew’s Private Hospital
St Vincent’s

Warwick