Iowa Radiology Blog

What is transvaginal ultrasound?

In any type of ultrasound examination, a transducer sends out sound waves and receives their echoes, which are then translated into a real-time picture of the internal structures being imaged. Most often, the transducer is pressed against the skin outside the body. In some cases, however, the technologist is able to get more detailed images of particular areas of interest by placing the transducer inside the vagina. While you can request that an external ultrasound exam be performed instead, it’s important to understand that if your doctor has recommended a transvaginal ultrasound, it’s because this type of exam is likely to yield the most helpful information about your condition.

Have you ever wondered why your doctor chooses to order one type of imaging over another? Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasound are two modalities that can sometimes be used for the same purposes. Understanding the differences between them and the strengths and limitations of each can give you insight into the reasons behind your doctor’s choice. 

Endometriosis is a disorder in which the tissue that normally lines the inside of the uterus (called endometrium) grows outside the uterus, intruding into the pelvic organs (the ovaries and fallopian tubes) and other tissue lining the pelvis. This tissue grows, thickens, and bleeds with a woman’s normal menstrual cycle, but cannot exit the body like normal menstrual blood. Instead, it becomes trapped, causing painful irritation, scarring, adhesions, and cysts called endometriomas. It can be very painful and frequently goes undiagnosed for many years. Global support groups designate March for events to raise awareness of this disease and help reduce the number of women suffering worldwide.

If you’re expecting a baby (or even if you’re not), you’re probably aware that obstetric ultrasound is commonly recommended at least once during pregnancy. Many parents-to-be look forward to their ultrasound appointment because this is the first time they’re able to get a glimpse of their growing child. While deciding whether or not you want to know your baby’s sex before it’s born might be the top question on your mind, the obstetric ultrasound will provide much more valuable information about your pregnancy and your child’s health and well being. One of the important functions of this test is to screen for birth defects so that parents and doctors can plan a course of action and prepare for any treatments that will be necessary before or soon after birth.

Maybe it was in the shower. Or while you were dressing. Maybe it was at the doctor’s office. Wherever you were when you found the lump in your breast, you had the same fear: is it breast cancer? 

Imaging tests like X-rays, CT scans, ultrasounds, and MRIs are extremely useful and advanced methods of detecting and investigating abnormalities deep inside the body. Sometimes, however, it’s impossible to determine from these imaging tests alone whether a mass or abnormal area is harmless (benign) or potentially harmful (like cancer). For example, if your care provider has detected an abnormality in your breast using ultrasound, mammography, or clinical examination, it may be a harmless condition like a fibroadenoma, or it may be something more serious.

Ultrasounds are a safe, easy way to monitor fetal development, examine ovarian abnormalities, investigate potential causes of infertility, or identify cancerous and benign tumors. Depending on the purpose of your women's imaging procedure, your doctor might recommend that you have a transvaginal rather than a traditional transabdominal pelvic ultrasound. Transvaginal ultrasounds can allow your care providers to make a much more accurate diagnosis or care plan and can prevent serious complications during pregnancy, including dramatically lowering the risk of pre-term labor. 

The obstetric ultrasound has become nearly ubiquitous in modern prenatal care. Many parents look forward to this event because it gives them a first glimpse at their unborn child and perhaps learn their baby’s gender.  The images generated by a prenatal ultrasound also provide valuable information about fetal development and the progress of a pregnancy.

A complete obstetric ultrasound, which provides a comprehensive look at your baby’s organs and skeletal structure, is commonly ordered around mid-pregnancy (18-22 weeks). Ultrasound imaging may be recommended at any time during pregnancy, however, depending upon the information your health care provider seeks.