Ultrasound

What Is an Ultrasound?

Ultrasound, sometimes called sonography, uses high-frequency sound waves to create live images inside your body.

A small handheld device called a transducer sends sound waves into the body and listens for the echoes bouncing back.

A computer translates those echoes into moving images on a screen, giving your doctor a dynamic look at your organs, blood flow, joints, or, in obstetric exams, your baby.

Because ultrasound is real-time, it can show motion: a heartbeat, blood pulsing through a vessel, a tendon gliding, or an unborn baby kicking.

That makes it uniquely powerful for diagnosing functional as well as anatomical issues.

Your OneImaging Care Team will help match you with the right center for your exam.

What an Ultrasound Can Help Detect

Ultrasound helps evaluate a wide range of conditions, including:

Pregnancy monitoring and fetal development

Abdominal organ conditions affecting the liver, gallbladder, kidneys, pancreas, and spleen

Pelvic conditions involving the uterus, ovaries, bladder, or prostate

Thyroid, breast, and soft-tissue lumps, including whether they are solid or fluid-filled cysts

Vascular issues such as blood clots (deep vein thrombosis), carotid artery narrowing, and aneurysms

Musculoskeletal conditions affecting tendons, ligaments, and muscles

Guidance for biopsies, injections, and fluid drainage

Timeline – 8 Steps

How to Prepare for
Your Ultrasound

Your imaging center will provide you with exact preparation instructions based on your exam; here are some general guidelines you may expect.

Step 1

Follow your prep instructions

Some ultrasound exams may require preparation ahead of time. Here are some common examples:

Abdominal ultrasound: No food or drink for 8–12 hours beforehand. Water is usually allowed for medications.
Pelvic or pregnancy ultrasound: Drink 32 oz of water about 1 hour before your exam and arrive with a full bladder to help create clearer images.

Step 2

Use your OneImaging Card

At check-in, use your OneImaging Digital Payment Card to pay for your appointment — your OneImaging card will cover the full cost of your exam.

Do not present your insurance card.
Learn how to use your card here.

Step 3

Arrive early

On the day of your exam, arrive 15–30 minutes early to complete paperwork and change into a gown.

Step 4

Dress comfortably

Wear loose, comfortable, two-piece clothing so the area being scanned can be exposed without changing into a gown when possible.

Step 5

Helpful items to have

Have a list of current medications and any prior imaging AND reports your doctor asked you to bring.

What to Expect During
Your Ultrasound

Most ultrasound exams are simple, painless, and completed in under an hour.

Warm gel & gentle positioning

A technologist will apply gel to the skin and gently move a handheld device over the area being scanned.

Live, real-time imaging

Images appear instantly, helping doctors evaluate organs, tissues, blood flow, or movement.

Guided throughout

Most exams take 20–45 minutes, and your technologist will guide you through each step.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does an ultrasound take?

Usually under 15 minutes from check-in to checkout for a single body part. The exposure itself takes a fraction of a second.

Is Ultrasound safe?

Yes. Ultrasound uses sound waves instead of radiation, making it one of the safest imaging options available. It is routinely used for patients of all ages, including expectant mothers.

What is the difference between a sonogram and an ultrasound?

None, the terms are used interchangeably. “Ultrasound” refers to the test; “sonogram” refers to the images it creates.

How will I get my results?

The imaging center will send your imaging report directly to your ordering physician. As a OneImaging member, you will also receive a copy of your report in your OneImaging account - we will notify you when your report is available.