For the scan, you lie on your back on a couch. When you are comfortable, a gel will be spread on your abdomen to help the sound waves transmit through your skin. A device like a microphone is pressed onto your abdomen. Sound waves from it bounce off the internal organs, and echo back to make pictures on a computer screen.

This is not painful, but if you are already tender, there may be some discomfort when the doctor or radiographer presses firmly to get a good picture. It takes between 15 and 45 minutes to do.

Ultrasound does not use X-rays and there are no known side-effects.

If your referring doctor has requested it, a biopsy may be taken under the guidance of the ultrasound. This may cause a little pain and bleeding in the area where the needle has been inserted.

These scans are done in the radiology (X-ray) department at your local hospital.