Abdominal Aortic Ultrasound

An abdominal aortic ultrasound helps your physician determine if there are blockages, narrowing or aneurysm (a bulge or enlargement) in your aorta, which is a large artery in your abdomen. The ultrasound is used to obtain images of the aorta and the blood flow within and the test is noninvasive that often causes little discomfort.

Before the Test

You should not eat or drink anything except noncarbonated water for eight to 12 hours prior to the test. You may take your usual medications on the day of the test, unless your doctor instructs you otherwise.

During the Test

You will be asked to lie quietly on an examination table while the technologist moves an instrument called a transducer over your abdomen. To obtain clear images of your blood vessels, the technologist may apply moderate pressure to your abdomen. During the Doppler portion of the exam, you will be able to hear your blood flow and your heartbeat. The resulting images are recorded and stored in your record. The test takes approximately 20 to 30 minutes.

After the Test

After the procedure you may leave without restrictions. There are no known risks from the use of ultrasound for medical diagnosis.