What can you eat before an abdominal ultrasound? Diet before abdominal ultrasound. How is the procedure performed?

Today, ultrasound diagnostics of the abdominal organs is the most popular procedure.

This method is considered the most informative. What can you eat and drink before an abdominal ultrasound, as it helps to quickly identify problem areas of internal organs, diagnose the level of damage to the pancreas, gallbladder and ducts, as well as the liver.

Ultrasound diagnostics is carried out in such cases as:

• Abdominal pain of an unspecified nature.
• Identification and diagnosis of features of abdominal aortic aneurysm.
• Diagnosis of liver diseases.
• Detection of stones in the gallbladder and its ducts.
• Diagnosis of tumors and inflammatory processes of the pancreas.
• Treatment of the digestive system.

It can be noted that the intestine, both large and small, due to its structure, reflects ultrasonic waves and is difficult to diagnose in this way. Ultrasound can only detect their visible structural changes. But with all this, intestinal spasms, food masses or accumulation of gases complicate the ultrasound diagnostic procedure. This, in turn, can lead to an incorrect diagnosis and, as a result, a worsening of the patient’s general condition.

Therefore, in order for an ultrasound examination of the abdominal cavity to be correct and provide maximum information, careful and responsible preparation for undergoing this procedure is necessary, namely diet. So what can you eat before an abdominal ultrasound?

What you can and cannot eat during ultrasound

It takes 3 or 2 days to prepare for the ultrasound diagnostic procedure, and it is important to remove from the diet those foods that can cause irritation or contribute to the development of flatulence in the intestines. Under no circumstances should you use:

Pepper and spices of any kind also have an irritating effect.

The most popular irritants are strong tea and coffee. The fact that it is important to stop drinking alcoholic beverages, even in small quantities, is not worth mentioning. Is it possible to smoke? In no case!

Not only does smoking itself have a negative effect on the body, but this procedure is also accompanied by the process of “absorption” of air that accumulates in the intestines. In addition, chewing gum is also accompanied by the effect of air accumulation in the intestines.

You will learn about proper preparation for an abdominal ultrasound from the video presented:

What foods can you eat during ultrasound?

What can you eat before an abdominal ultrasound? The menu during preparation for an ultrasound must necessarily consist of easily digestible products, which include:

• Porridges made from cereals such as rice, buckwheat and oatmeal, cooked in water.
• You can have boiled poultry or boiled beef.
• Fish that does not contain fat, boiled or steamed.
• You can use low-fat hard cheese.
• A soft-boiled egg, but no more than one per day.

Eating should be frequent at regular intervals. Portions should be small, and food should be taken slowly so as not to “swallow” air. You can drink water or weakly brewed tea, no more than 1.5 liters per day.

An ultrasound is often performed in the morning on an empty stomach, but even if this is the case, you should eat your last meal no later than 8 pm the previous day. You should not take liquid before an ultrasound; this will worsen the image and complicate the diagnosis. It also happens that ultrasound diagnostics are carried out during the day or towards the end of the working day. In this case, a light breakfast is allowed, which must be taken no later than 11 a.m. After it, it is forbidden to eat, drink and smoke.

It is also important to know that for people with increased flatulence, the doctor may prescribe special enzymes. Additional medication support is also prescribed for people suffering from constipation. If the patient is already taking any medications, then it is worth informing the attending physician about this; he can prescribe special enzymes that neutralize the effect of the drugs. The diet does not change.

Ultrasound should not be performed after radiopaque diagnostics of the gastrointestinal tract and endoscopic diagnostics.

We should also not forget that not only adult patients, but also children are preparing for ultrasound examination. So, before the ultrasound procedure, children under 1 year old skip one feeding, that is, they do not eat for 24 hours, and they should not drink water 1 hour before the diagnosis. The same applies to children aged 1 to 3 years: 4 hours before ultrasound diagnostics, they stop taking food and water. If the child is over 3 years old, then he follows a strict “diet”: he abstains from food and drink for 6 hours before the test.

If the patient has had ultrasound diagnostics performed in the past, he should take the results with him. They will help the attending physician track the dynamics of changes and make the correct diagnosis.

It is also worth remembering that there are factors that can distort the ultrasound diagnostic picture and a repeat examination may be necessary. These factors include:

• Intestinal muscle spasms that may occur after a previous endoscopy.
• Often, intestinal spasms are observed in those patients who have bad habits.
• Increased flatulence.
• Excess weight can also distort the ultrasound image, as the depth of penetration of the ultrasound beam decreases.
• Any movements not approved by the doctor may also cause a repeat ultrasound diagnosis.

If the above points do not always directly depend on the person, then preparing one’s own intestines for ultrasound diagnostics is entirely the responsibility of the patient. It should be remembered that a correct diagnosis is the key to positive recovery dynamics, so there is no need to neglect the two-day diet and know exactly what you can eat. It is necessary to eliminate from your diet all dairy products, baked goods and confectionery products (only a small amount of white bread is allowed), legumes, carbonated drinks, spices and peppers, hot sauces, cabbage, potatoes, fruits, fatty meats and fish. Apart from regulating your diet, you need to take care of other intestinal problems, if any.

You should consult your doctor about this; perhaps he will recommend special medications that reduce flatulence or improve digestion. Before the ultrasound, you should also get rid of constipation and excess feces. Only in this case will ultrasound diagnostics of the abdominal organs be productive. Now you know what you can eat before an abdominal ultrasound.

Ultrasound examination of the abdominal cavity is a fairly popular non-invasive diagnostic method of organs in our time. In order for the doctor to have the opportunity to carefully examine the internal organs and blood vessels, it is necessary to properly prepare for the procedure.

Ultrasound examination of the abdominal organs

Ultrasound examination makes it possible to diagnose hollow and parenchymal organs. The abdominal cavity contains the following organs: liver, kidneys, spleen, intestines and stomach. The procedure is prescribed by the attending physician in cases where the patient has complaints of pain in the abdomen, increased gas production, a bitter taste in the mouth, or heaviness in the stomach.

If the patient has disturbances in the functioning of the internal organs of the abdominal cavity, ultrasound data will help make an accurate diagnosis. In cases where there is suspicion of cancer, an ultrasound examination will help confirm the presence or absence of a diagnosis.

Also, this type of diagnosis allows doctors to detect cysts, cirrhosis, hepatitis, kidney stones, cholecystitis and inflammatory processes occurring in the abdominal organs.

How to prepare for ultrasound diagnostics

The intestines and stomach are hollow organs, which means they contain air. Therefore, these organs are difficult to study. In order for an ultrasound examination to provide a reliable picture of the condition of the internal organs, a number of conditions must be met on the eve of the procedure. Before the ultrasound you should:

• follow a special diet;
• notify your doctor about the medications you are currently taking;

A special diet before the procedure is designed in such a way that all foods that contribute to gas formation are excluded from the diet. At this time it is forbidden to eat:

• black bread;
• milk and dairy products;
• sparkling water;
• legumes;
• cabbage;
• grape;
• apples;
• plums;
• fresh bakery.

If the patient has a tendency to flatulence, the attending physician may prescribe medications. A couple of days before the test, you can drink activated charcoal or Espumisan, this is done in order to eliminate gas-forming processes in the intestines. Your doctor may prescribe medications that improve digestion. In this case, Mezim or Pacreatin will be effective.

On the eve of the procedure, it is advisable to do a cleansing enema. A couple of hours before the ultrasound, you can drink 5-6 tablets of activated carbon.

You cannot eat before the procedure. The last meal should take place six hours before the start of the study. Food should not be too fatty.

What to eat before an abdominal ultrasound

A very important question that should concern any patient is “?”, but here let’s look at everything in detail without haste.

You will have to start preparing the intestines and stomach for the study three days before the scheduled procedure. These days, as mentioned above, you need to follow a diet. What foods should be present in the diet during this period? You can eat poultry or beef, you can eat lean fish. Among porridges, it is better to give preference to buckwheat and oatmeal.

If you are going to have an ultrasound of your kidneys, you will need to drink up to 6 glasses of liquid an hour before the test. It is important that the bladder contains fluid.

Special diet before ultrasound for children and pregnant women

Little ones can be fed lightly before the ultrasound. It is important that the food is light and easily digestible. The last meal is allowed no later than three hours. Otherwise, it will not be possible to conduct a high-quality examination and the procedure will have to be repeated again.

Older children can eat 4 hours before the procedure. If after this time the child becomes hungry, you can offer him some water. But you should not take liquid an hour before the test.

A gentle diet is also recommended for pregnant women. Most often, the procedure is prescribed in the morning to make it easier for a woman to endure a hunger strike.

Colon cleansing before the procedure

Before the ultrasound procedure, you will need to cleanse the intestines. This is done on the eve of the study, but no later than 18 pm. Instead of an enema, you can use alternative methods, which include taking laxatives or using microenemas. Currently, pharmacies sell very easy-to-use microenemas “Microvax” or “Norgalax”.

These drugs will help cleanse your stomach without unnecessary hassle.

Features of the procedure

Usually ultrasound is prescribed in the morning. This is the most suitable time to conduct the study, because it is carried out on an empty stomach. If the procedure is scheduled for the afternoon, a light breakfast is allowed, but no later than eight hours before the start of the study, but it would still be better to limit yourself to drinking weak tea without sugar.

Ultrasound examination is a fairly harmless and painless procedure. There are no restrictions on its implementation. Ultrasound can be done exactly as many times as needed to obtain accurate information about the condition of the internal organs of the abdominal cavity.

Everyone knows that ultrasound remains to this day not only one of the most informative examination methods, but also non-invasive, painless and allows you to find out all the details about the patient’s health and condition.

However, not everyone knows, for example, that you should not eat or drink before an abdominal ultrasound, how best to prepare for it so that the data is as informative and reliable as possible, and what the diet should be before such an examination as an ultrasound.

The main obstacle to the procedure is the presence of excess air in the intestines, so the patient’s primary task is to remove it. The outcome greatly depends on the thoroughness of the preparation.

Preparations for ultrasound

So, the patient was sent for examination. In order for a specialist to quickly visualize the necessary organs, it is necessary to strictly follow the recommendations prescribed by the doctor, including how to eat before, for example, an ultrasound of the abdominal cavity or other organs. This is the only way to make sure that what is displayed on the monitor is not accumulated gases.

The following points are considered the most important conditions:

1. Strict adherence. The diet before an abdominal ultrasound does not contain any complex requirements, so anyone can do it.
2. Consultation with a doctor regarding all medications that the patient needs to take.
3. Report to the doctor about all bad habits, as well as about the individual characteristics of the body.

As a rule, people are sent for this examination in cases where a person complains of constant bitterness in the mouth, pain in the abdomen and especially under the right rib, constant bloating and gas formation, a feeling of fullness and distension after each meal.

Patients who have suffered all forms of hepatitis and have problems with the liver or pancreas are always examined.

They all have to adjust their food ahead of time, because an ultrasound of the abdominal cavity dictates a special diet.

What's the best way to eat?

Figuring out what is not possible or possible before an ultrasound of the abdominal cavity and various organs, many people get scared in advance and think: they will have to sit on a starvation diet for months. But everything is not so complicated, although a certain diet still exists with an ultrasound of the abdominal cavity and stomach.

You need to start preparing at least four days before the appointed date (or better yet, early). The primary task is to ensure that there are fewer gases in the intestines, and therefore you will have to adjust your food.

Here's what you can eat before:

• Boiled beef, chicken, quail.
• Boiled dietary fish.
• Regular eggs that can only be boiled.
• Pearl barley, buckwheat, any type of oatmeal.
• Before an ultrasound of the abdominal cavity and stomach, an acceptable diet includes a little cheese.

It is necessary to remember that you can eat any permitted food before an abdominal ultrasound only in small portions, approximately every three hours. You should not allow overeating, heaping plates and other delights of feasts.

When figuring out whether you can drink before going for an abdominal ultrasound, it is worth remembering that you should not wash down your meals during preparation. You are allowed to take plain water and plain tea. During the day, the total amount of liquid should not fall below one and a half liters.

Of course, before an ultrasound of the abdominal cavity, it would be better to abstain from some things. So, what not to eat:

• Any variety of legumes.
• All drinks containing gases, milk, caffeine in any form, all fermented milk, even cottage cheese are excluded.
• People ask whether it is possible to eat before, for example, an ultrasound of the stomach or other organs, and are surprised that this is not allowed. It is also forbidden to eat sweets, especially flour ones: all buns, buns and other sweets will have to be put away, as well as black bread.
• All unprocessed vegetables are removed, the same goes for fruits.
• Fatty foods are unacceptable, such as a number of varieties of not only fish, but also meat.
• Of course, alcohol is included in the list of what should not be consumed before an abdominal ultrasound.

If the procedure is early in the morning, you must come hungry. If an ultrasound of the abdominal cavity occurs after three o’clock in the afternoon, then a modest snack is all that is possible in the morning.

However, there are caveats here: examination of the retroperitoneal region requires a strict fast on the day of the procedure. Before the ultrasound of the internal organs, there will be a special diet: they are not allowed to eat everything at any time.

When figuring out whether they can eat during a procedure such as an abdominal ultrasound, you need to remember that babies before the procedure are deprived of only one feeding (three hours should pass before the ultrasound), and they are not given anything to drink for an hour before the examination.

Children under three years of age will have to go four hours without feeding, and older ones will have to wait six to eight hours. Well, the list of what they should eat before such an examination as an ultrasound of the abdominal cavity, stomach, and other organs corresponds to a set of products for adults.

What can distort the picture?

When asking what you can eat or drink before an abdominal ultrasound, you should not forget about what factors can spoil everything and distort the results.

1. This is, first of all, a spasm of smooth muscles, the cause of which is not some disease, but an endoscopic examination, as well as bad habits.
2. The intestines are full of gases, if the patient does not understand what is prohibited and what is allowed to eat and drink before an ultrasound scan of the abdominal cavity.
3. Excess weight, because the signal penetrates through the fat layer rather poorly.
4. Remains of a contrast agent in the intestine if the person had an x-ray shortly before the examination.
5. Abdominal wounds, especially where the probe would pass.
6. Fidgeting and active movements during the study.

Nuances important when preparing

When preparing for an examination, it is important not only to know whether you can eat before an important event or whether you can drink before an abdominal ultrasound procedure. The doctor will definitely tell you about important points.

Before an ultrasound of the abdominal cavity and stomach, many people ask what they can eat. But if food is completely excluded, then the issue of drinking depends on the organ being examined: when examining, say, the kidneys, the patient will have to drink at least half a liter of ordinary water). So the answer to the question “is it possible to drink before something like an abdominal ultrasound” will be positive.

If everything is done correctly, and the patient understands that he should not eat before such an important task as an ultrasound of the abdominal cavity or stomach, then the examination will be able to identify the causes of incomprehensible pain, find out what condition the liver and gall bladder are in, whether stones have formed, inflammatory processes, organic organ damage.

This examination makes it possible to look at, clarify unclear diagnoses, examine the patient after injuries, various wounds, and prepare the person for a number of operations. Having figured out what you can eat before an ultrasound of the abdominal organs, the patient will save himself a lot of time and money on repeated examinations. Ultrasound helps monitor recovery after a biopsy, and can be performed several times in a row without causing any harm to the patient.

What to do next?

All further diagnostics depend on the results obtained. If the data is not reliable enough, or clarification, confirmation of the diagnosis, or monitoring of recovery is required, the specialist will prescribe a repeat ultrasound or a number of other studies.

Conclusion

Having found out whether it is possible to eat before a procedure such as an ultrasound of the abdominal cavity or stomach, the patient ensures that the examination is carried out properly and that the doctor obtains the most accurate data necessary for successful treatment.

It is necessary to prepare in advance for examination of the abdominal cavity. After all, this affects the quality of the diagnostics performed. An ultrasound can see the following organs: stomach, gallbladder, spleen, liver, pancreas, intestines, kidneys, ureters, bladder, uterus (in women), prostate gland (in men), adrenal glands.

Preparation for the procedure

When signing up for an examination, you need to find out in advance what you need to do before the ultrasound and what you can eat. This will determine how accurate the results of the procedure will be. Products that cause bloating and flatulence are prohibited. The patient will also need to stop taking certain medications.

In some cases, the doctor may recommend a high-quality intestinal cleansing. We must remember that a few days before the procedure you need to drink herbs that help improve digestion and reduce gas. Tea made from chamomile, mint, and lemon balm is suitable for these purposes.

Some doctors, answering the question of whether it is possible to eat before an abdominal ultrasound, advise drinking enzyme preparations for several days before the examination. This can be regular activated carbon or Festal.

Necessary diet: how and when to start preparing

Nutrition should be balanced and complete. You should not take long breaks between meals. You need to plan your day so that food gets into your stomach every 3-4 hours. You need to eat at least 4 times a day.

The patient should eat porridge and meat every day. You can also include 1 boiled egg and cheese in your daily menu. You are allowed to drink only weak tea and still water.

If a person has digestive problems or frequent constipation, then it is better to stick to the diet for 5 days. It is advisable that 8-12 hours pass between the examination and the last meal, so there is no point in asking your doctor whether you can have breakfast before an abdominal ultrasound.

Examination of the youngest patients

Infants and preschool children are often prescribed ultrasound diagnostics. Children need to be prepared for the procedure in almost the same way as adults. But it is difficult for them to withstand more than 8 hours without food before the examination. Therefore, there are different requirements for them.

Breastfed children are not fed for only 2-4 hours before the test. Water is not given 1 hour before the procedure. The time for ultrasound is selected so that the examination is carried out before the next next feeding.

It is advisable for children under 3 years of age to skip 1 feeding before the procedure. But they can also be examined early in the morning (before breakfast). Children aged 3 years and older should fast for about 6 hours before the procedure. That is why the examination is carried out in the first half of the day, while the child has not yet eaten. Drinking is allowed no later than 1 hour before the procedure.

The remaining rules regarding what you can eat before an abdominal ultrasound remain unchanged. Children should not be given fruit and vegetable purees the day before the test. They may take too long to digest.

List of prohibited products

Before the examination, the patient should do everything possible to minimize the likelihood of gas formation in the intestines. Therefore, many products are prohibited. Among them:

• brown bread and pastry (the amount of white bread should be kept to a minimum);
• fresh fruits (you will have to give up apricots, apples, peaches, pears, etc.);
• legume products: lentils, peas, beans;
• dairy products;
• whole milk;
• vegetables: no potatoes, cabbage, onions, asparagus, etc.;
• You can’t use any spices that irritate the intestines (these are: coriander, cumin, pepper, cinnamon);
• fatty fish and meats;
• alcohol and carbonated drinks.

A person who is going for an examination must adhere to it for three days. Only in this case can one count on the fact that the diagnosis will be carried out correctly.

Preparation: three days before the examination

Everyone, independently or with the help of a doctor, must figure out what to do before an ultrasound of the abdominal cavity. What you can eat needs to be clarified separately. In three days you need to change your diet. Food should enter the stomach 4-5 times a day. Breaks between meals should be no more than 4 hours, with the exception of night time. You need to drink more than 1.5 liters of water daily.

All prohibited foods must be excluded from the diet. You can eat the following:

• porridge with water: barley, oatmeal, buckwheat, flaxseed;
• boiled eggs (no more than 1 piece per day);
• lean beef, skinless chicken, fish;
• lean cheese.

All products can be baked, steamed, boiled, stewed.

Patients who suffer from flatulence are prescribed special medications. The doctor may recommend taking activated charcoal, Enteros-gel or Espumisan. It is also easy to prevent gas formation with the help of enzyme agents, such as Creon, Mezim, Pangrol, Festal.

The day before ultrasound diagnostics

On the day before the examination, you need to be very careful about what to do before an ultrasound of the abdominal cavity. What you can eat must be chosen with special care.

Throughout the day, the patient can adhere to generally accepted recommendations and eat cereals and lean meat. But on the eve of the study, you need to remember again whether you can eat before an ultrasound of the abdominal cavity. The restrictions become even stricter in the evening. Starting from 20:00 it is advisable to completely give up food. Therefore it must be eaten before this hour.

In the evening, doctors advise giving up meat and fish products. They can take a long time to digest and interfere with a full examination. If a person has a tendency to constipation, he will be prescribed a laxative. It will need to be drunk around 16:00. This time will be enough for a complete cleansing of the intestines before an ultrasound of the abdominal cavity. The patient must remember what can be eaten and what medications should be taken. But the doctor must prescribe the drugs. This could be “Senade”, “Senadexin”, etc. Also, such patients are recommended to start drinking Espumisan, Meteospasmil or Simethicone the day before the examination.

If laxatives do not have the expected effect, then mechanical cleaning is necessary - an enema.

Day of examination

If the procedure is scheduled for the morning, then there is no point in finding out what you can eat before an ultrasound of the abdominal cavity. You should skip breakfast. The only exceptions are those cases where the examination will be carried out in the evening. In this situation, you can eat a light breakfast.

Experts advise drinking activated carbon (about 10 tablets) or 2 capsules of Simethicone before the procedure. This must be done a couple of hours before the examination. For people suffering from excessive gas formation, it is advisable to do an enema in the morning.

Immediately before the ultrasound, you should not smoke, drink water, chew gum, take antispasmodics, or suck on lollipops. All this can affect diagnostic results.

How is the procedure performed?

Many people worry about what they can eat before an abdominal ultrasound and forget to ask about how the procedure is performed. It is absolutely painless. The doctor examines the internal organs using a contact sensor. To conduct the examination, the patient lies down on a couch.

During a standard examination:

• look at the liver and gall bladder;
• evaluate the vessels;
• check the condition of the stomach and pancreas.

Other organs are checked if indicated in the referral for examination.

Immediately after completion of the examination, the patient can return to their usual lifestyle. Further examination and treatment will be prescribed by the doctor who sent the patient for this diagnosis.

Content

Just a few decades ago, doctors did not know about ultrasound examination, but today they send almost every patient for analysis to clarify the diagnosis. The patient can only follow the doctor’s recommendations and prepare thoroughly. We will discuss further how to help the doctor visualize the image on the monitor as accurately as possible.

How to prepare for an abdominal ultrasound

There is an opinion that the accuracy of ultrasound depends only on the qualifications of the medical staff and the newness of the equipment. To a large extent, the statement is correct, but often difficulties in interpreting the results can arise when examining overweight patients or due to the patient’s lack of awareness. Yes, yes, an important part before an abdominal ultrasound is preparing the patient.

The doctor’s requirements will be determined by which organ needs to be illuminated on the equipment screen:

• When examining the pancreas or stomach, it is necessary to avoid foods that cause fermentation in the intestines.
• When a doctor wants to look at a woman’s bladder, prostate, gallbladder or genitals, she should drink up to half a liter of water 60-120 minutes before the appointment.
• The health of the mammary glands can be assessed only 1-2 weeks after the start of the menstrual cycle.
• There is no need to prepare for examination of the lymph nodes, heart, liver, kidneys, or thyroid gland.

Remember that before you start preparing for an abdominal ultrasound. It is imperative to notify your doctor if you have serious chronic diseases and are taking medications, including oral contraceptives. Most medications will have to be stopped. The only exceptions are “heart” medications. In this case, you can simply warn the diagnostician.

Preparation for abdominal ultrasound in adults

In addition to basic medical aspects, before undergoing ultrasound analysis on any internal organ, you must:

• At least 2 hours before the procedure, give up tobacco, including smoking electronic cigarettes.
• If you were diagnosed with diabetes before the test, ask your doctor to schedule the test for the morning. Patients with such problems should not deny themselves food for too long.
• Inform the sonologist if an x-ray of the chest and rectum was taken. In this case, some time must pass before taking other tests.
• In adults, preparation for an ultrasound of the abdominal cavity also means avoiding antispasmodics. To do this, it is better to ask your doctor for advice in advance.

How to prepare for an abdominal ultrasound in a woman

An ordinary representative of the fair sex does not need to make any preparations. Preparation for abdominal ultrasound is somewhat different for women in an “interesting” position, and only from 1 to 13 weeks of pregnancy. It involves following a certain diet for at least 2 days. It is advisable to exclude gas-forming products from your menu:

• legumes;
• cabbage;
• dairy products;
• baking;
• carbonated drinks.

Starting from the 14th week of pregnancy until childbirth, before preparing for an ultrasound of the abdominal organs (even if the purpose of the study is to examine the liver and kidneys), it is recommended not to eat in the morning and evening before. Otherwise, food residues in the intestines may distort the overall picture. This point is especially important when the sonologist wants to look at the bile ducts.

Ultrasound of the abdominal cavity for a child - preparation

If everything is clear with adults, then how to prepare a child for an abdominal ultrasound is a mystery to many parents. In fact, diagnostic scientists have developed several rules even for the smallest ones:

• Infants are allowed to undergo the procedure on an empty stomach, that is, the mother must skip one breastfeeding.
• For older children, this interval is increased to 4 hours. You should not drink 60-80 minutes before your examination by a doctor.
• The main rule on how to prepare for an ultrasound of the abdominal organs in a child under 14 years old is: no food for 8 hours and a complete ban on drinks until the appointment with the diagnostician.

What can you eat before an abdominal ultrasound?

To avoid errors in interpretation, a few days before the test, the doctor will prescribe a special diet for the patient. A sample menu will consist of the following list of products:

• boiled beef;
• skinless chicken;
• steamed fish of low-fat varieties;
• boiled egg;
• oatmeal, pearl barley or buckwheat porridge.

Strict preparation for an ultrasound of the abdominal organs also takes into account the fact that you need to eat in small portions at intervals of 2-3 hours. Drinks are allowed only after an hour after eating. At the same time, you should absolutely not drink sweet soda, kvass, coffee or tea with sugar, kefir or yogurt, or other fermented milk products. It is better to drink a mug of warm water.

Regarding whether it is possible to eat before an abdominal ultrasound, every qualified specialist will tell you that the study should be done on an empty stomach. Otherwise, the stomach simply will not have time to digest the food, the image on the monitor will be distorted, and the result will be inaccurate. The only exception is when the analysis will be carried out in the afternoon: a light breakfast is allowed.

Is it possible to drink water before an abdominal ultrasound?

Drinking fluids before the procedure is another controversial aspect of preparation. No self-respecting doctor can answer unequivocally that you cannot drink tea or water without knowing the situation. Much will depend on the purpose of the study and the organ chosen, for example:

• If you need to look at the condition of the bladder, female genital organs, prostate and kidneys, you need to drink about 3 glasses of a non-carbonated drink before the procedure.
• When the heart, liver, arteries and lymph nodes are examined, there is no need to drink fluids.
• The same rule applies to the female breast and digestive tract organs.

Can children drink before an abdominal ultrasound? Teenagers and preschoolers can drink several glasses of water before going to the hospital. Infants who suffer from constipation are given a couple of tablespoons of dill water four days before. For adults, a glass of honey water with lemon will help cleanse the intestines. It must be taken 2 days before the expected date.

What not to eat before an abdominal ultrasound

In addition to the list of permitted foods and drinks, the medical diet will contain a list of prohibited foods. These are basically the foods that can cause bloating and flatulence. The list of what you should not eat before an ultrasound is short and includes:

• legumes;
• any soda, coffee and alcohol;
• cottage cheese, sour cream and other fermented milk products;
• yeast baked goods, fresh bread;
• fatty fish fillet, meat and offal.

Video: preparing for an abdominal ultrasound

Attention! The information presented in the article is for informational purposes only. The materials in the article do not encourage self-treatment. Only a qualified doctor can make a diagnosis and give treatment recommendations based on the individual characteristics of a particular patient.

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