A bladder ultrasound is a noninvasive imaging technique used to check for abnormalities in the urinary bladder.

If you have urinary problems, the bladder is one of the first organs examined with ultrasound.

The procedure is often done while your bladder is full.

An ultrasound image of the bladder and prostate

JokingTrojan / Getty Images

This provides an unobstructed view of the organ, shifting other organs like theuterusand bowel out of the way.

The received signals are translated by computer into images for display on a digital monitor.

The latter is better able to calculate PVR volume than its two-dimensional counterpart.

An enhanced version, called a color Doppler ultrasound, translates the speed of blood flow into different colors.

Both are useful in detecting vascular abnormalities likeblood clots.

The Ultrasound Prep Process

The same basic procedure is used for all external ultrasound scans.

This is especially true of functional disorders like OAB which can be because of many different things.

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Urinary tract imaging.

Point of Care Ultrasound Certification Academy.Introduction to point of care urinary bladder ultrasound.

doi:10.5152/tud.2020.20315

Sussman RD, Drain A, Brucker BM.Primary bladder neck obstruction.Rev Urol.2019;21(2-3):53-62.

Labham S, Gutierrez S.Diagnosis of bladder diverticula with point-of-care ultrasound.Clin Pract Cases Emerg Med.

2021;5(4):466467. doi:10.5811/cpcem.2021.7.53199

Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care.Overview: acute cystitis.

Clemens JQ, Erickson DR, Varela NP, Lai NH.Diagnosis and treatment of interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome.J Urol.

2023;15(2):e35283.

doi:10.7759/cureus.35283

American Cancer Society.Tests for bladder cancer.

2017;13(4):385.e1385.e5.

doi:10.1016/j.jpurol.2017.04.020

Rachaneni S, McCooty S, Middleton LJ.Overactive bladder.

In:Bladder ultrasonography for diagnosing detrusor overactivity: test accuracy study and economic evaluation.

Southampton (UK): NIHR Journals Library; 2016.

University of Florida Health.Urologic evaluations.