How are renal ultasounds performed?

Question

I am 18 wks. 3 days pregnant and they think I have Kidney stones.

Answer 1

Renal ultrasound is done in the same fashion as the abdominal ultrasound (including pregnancy ultrasound), just concentrating on the kidneys and urinary system.From midnight of the night before the test until your test is complete, only drink clear liquids.

For the procedure: You may be be asked to put on a gown. You lie on a table and a jelly is applied to your abdomen over your bladder and kidneys.The transducer (a hand-held instrument of the ultrasound machine looking like a microphone or wand),passed over the skin where the jelly was applied. The transducer sends sound waves and receives sound echo back which are converted to images that are displayed on a screen. This images are examined on the screen and photographed for assessment. The kidneys well be assessed and detect any presence of stone or any abnormality. Other parts of the urinary tract which includes the ureters and bladders will be checked as well.

I understand that your main concern is your pregnancy. Renal ultrasound just like any other ultrasound is not having radiation thus should not bring concern when done during pregnancy. It is the safest for you due to your pregnancy. Other tests to detect kidney stones are CT Scan and X-ray which are not safe during pregnancy.

So, do not worry to have a renal ultrasound done. You can have your pregnancy checked as well as you are now 18 weeks (ultrasound is usually done approximately on the 20th week of pregnancy) but you need to have prior arrangement with the doctor for it.

(I had a renal ultrasound done once while I was pregnant and had the baby checked on the same time.)

P.S. The first answerer mentioned extracorporeal lithotripsy-that is another procedure using shockwave to crush the renal stones that cannot pass naturally. It may use ultrasound as the guide during the procedure but it has nothing to do with the diagnostic renal ultrasound.