Ultrasound › Organ and Gallbladder

Abdominal Ultrasound in Conroe and Montgomery TX

An abdominal ultrasound examines the liver, gallbladder, kidneys, pancreas and spleen in real time, using sound waves and no radiation whatsoever. Radiologists interpret every study.

Book Your Appointment Call Now

30 to 45 minute exam

No radiation

Fasting required

Report in 24 hours

Advanced imaging clear answers right here in Texas

What a Abdominal Ultrasound shows

Live views of the liver gallbladder and kidneys

Sound waves emitted from a handheld transducer bounce back at different speeds depending on the tissue they meet and software converts those echoes into a continuously updating image on screen.

Because nothing is frozen in a single moment, the sonographer watches organs move with your breathing and can angle the probe to see around gas and ribs that would otherwise block the view.

Conditions an abdominal ultrasound commonly evaluates

  • Gallstones: the single most reliable test for detecting them
  • Gallbladder disease: wall thickening, sludge and acute inflammation
  • Fatty liver: increased brightness indicating fat accumulation
  • Liver lesions: cysts, hemangiomas and other focal abnormalities
  • Kidney disease: stones, obstruction, cysts and reduced size
  • Aortic aneurysm: measuring the diameter of the abdominal aorta
  • Ascites: free fluid collecting within the abdominal cavity

What the scan itself is like

You lie on your back on a padded table while warm gel is applied to the skin. The sonographer moves the probe across your abdomen with steady pressure, pausing to capture measurements at each organ.

You will be asked to take deep breaths and hold them, which pushes organs down from beneath the ribs where they are easier to see. The exam usually takes thirty to forty five minutes.

Why fasting matters so much here

The gallbladder empties whenever you eat and a collapsed gallbladder cannot be assessed for stones. Fasting keeps it distended and full. Eating also produces bowel gas, which blocks sound waves completely and hides the pancreas behind it.

Abdominal Ultrasound at a glance

Scan time

30 to 45 minutes

Time at the center

Roughly 60 minutes

Radiation

None

Fasting

6 to 8 hours

Referral

Required from your physician

Contrast

Not used

Report turnaround

Typically 24 hours

Request An appointment
Call (832) 356-0730

Before your appointment

Preparing for an abdominal Ultrasound

Fasting is the one thing that genuinely determines whether this study works, so it is worth following closely.

1

Fast for six to eight hours

Nothing to eat and no drinks other than water. An overnight fast before a morning appointment is easiest. Eating beforehand often means rescheduling the study entirely.

2

Avoid gum carbonated drinks and smoking

All three introduce swallowed air into the digestive tract and gas blocks sound waves completely. Any organ sitting behind a pocket of gas simply cannot be imaged.

3

Take medications with small sips of water

Essential prescriptions should be taken as normal. Diabetic patients should discuss timing with the ordering physician before fasting, particularly for a later appointment slot.

4

Wear a two piece outfit

The abdomen needs to be exposed from the lower ribs to the hips. Separate top and bottom means you will not need to change and gel wipes away cleanly afterward.

Other MRI studies

Other scans available at our center

Looking for something else? Start here.

Pelvic Ultrasound

Uterine, ovarian and bladder assessment

Vascular Ultrasound

Aortic diameter and Doppler flow studies

Soft Tissue Ultrasound

Abdominal wall hernias and lumps

Thyroid Ultrasound

Neck gland and nodule assessment

Abdominal CT Scan

Detailed cross sectional organ assessment

Abdominal MRI

Liver and pancreatic lesion characterisation

Common questions

Abdominal Ultrasound questions patients ask

Eating empties the gallbladder and a collapsed gallbladder cannot be checked for stones. Food also creates bowel gas, which blocks sound waves entirely and hides the pancreas and deeper structures.

It is the best test available for it, detecting well over ninety percent. Stones appear as bright reflections that cast a shadow behind them and shift position when you roll onto your side.

A complete study covers the liver, gallbladder, bile ducts, pancreas, spleen, both kidneys and the abdominal aorta. Limited studies focus on one organ when the referral specifies a particular question.

It detects moderate and severe fat accumulation, which makes the liver appear brighter than the adjacent kidney. Quantifying the exact amount requires MRI, which reports a precise fat fraction percentage.

Between thirty and forty five minutes for a complete study. Focused examinations of a single organ finish faster, while difficult imaging conditions such as significant bowel gas extend the exam somewhat.

Have More Questions

Book your abdominal ultrasound

Send your referral and we will confirm the fasting window, verify your coverage and reserve a time at 18057 HWY 105 Suite 250 in Montgomery TX.

Request an appointment Refer a patient