Author: Dr Vidisha Vaidya, Consultant Radiologist, Director of Medical Education (Clinical Radiology); RANZCR Director of Training SKG Radiology; Senior Lecturer, University of Notre Dame, Australia.
Referring and preparing patients for radiology is often performed in a sub-optimal way. Here, Dr Vidisha Vaidya, a Consultant Radiologist, takes us through her essential tips for requesting and preparing patients for ultrasound scans.
Ultrasound essential considerations: 4 Cs
- Clinical question: clearly state (e.g. exclude acute cholecystitis, choledocholithiasis, renal track obstruction, hydronephrosis). If unsure, ask your senior Registrar or Consultant to clarify.
- Contact details: always include your full name, designation and contact phone number (ensure contact number is not the hospital switch board number.
- Coordinate handover and specify this on the request form: if the study will be performed after your rostered working hours, always include the name and phone number of the person taking over from you. If you are unsure, look it up on the hospital intranet rosters or obtain this information from switch board and/or from the friendly ward clerk and/or nurse coordinator.
- Consent: assess patient capacity and attain consent for transvaginal (TV) scans.
Preparation process
| Acute cholecystitis | Fast for 4hrs |
| Acute appendicitis | Fast as per surgical team |
| Kidney, ureter, bladder (KUB) | Full bladder required, clamp suprapubic catheter (SPC) or indwelling catheter (IDC) prior to scanning if present (unless contraindicated). |
| Ovarian cyst, torsion, teratoma | Transabdominal (TA) with full bladder and transvaginal (TV) scan. |
| Testicular torsion | Nil special requirements |
