Ultrasound Direct Health Scans

After your appointment you will be sent a link to access Pim, our top-of-the-range image management platform. You will have the option to pay to access Pim’s unique features and a full digital library of your images.

On rare occasions we are unable to complete the primary purpose of a scan. For pregnancy scans, this may be due to your baby being in a difficult position, or something else such as overlying bowel gas which can obscure the ultrasound image. If this happens, we’ll book you a free of charge rescan so we can try again! The primary purpose is outlined on each scan webpage.

As healthcare professionals the health and wellbeing of you and your baby is our priority. There may be occasions when we need to discuss unexpected findings or bad news. If this happens during your scan, our team will ensure you receive the best possible compassionate care delivered to you as sensitively as possible.  

We will also recommend your next steps. With your consent, we can contact the local early pregnancy unit or midwife on your behalf where possible. For general health scans, we can email our report and supporting images to your GP.  

If after your scan you become concerned about the scan itself or your images and video clips, just call the clinic where you had your scan to discuss any concerns. If the clinic is closed, contact our head office who will be more than happy to help with your query.

Absolutely! Every scan at Ultrasound Direct is performed by a fully qualified sonographer whose primary interest is your health. All our sonographers are fully trained and appropriately qualified to perform ultrasound scans. Many of our team also work in the NHS locally.

All our sonographers are registered with the Health and Care Professions Council and/or the Register of Clinical Technologists and follow the latest safety guidelines.

We are also registered with the Care Quality Commission, an independent regulator, to make sure you always receive the highest possible standards of care.

All our sonographers who take blood for blood tests are phlebotomy trained.

An ultrasound scan uses high-frequency sound waves to create an image of inside of the body. The sound waves reflect off different areas in the body and are converted into a moving picture to show what’s happening in real-time. We can record this as a video clip (available for free with our 4D Bonding and Premium 4D scans) and take still images from it.

An ultrasound scan can be external, which is when a probe is placed on the skin of the body part. Scans can also be internal, when a probe is inserted into the body. Both types of scan produce the same type of image and mini clip.

there are no known risks to our method of ultrasound scanning. Scans are painless (although an internal scan may be slightly uncomfortable) and have no known side effects. Ultrasound scans do not use any form of ionising radiation, unlike other diagnostic imaging services such as x-rays.

We follow the British Medical Ultrasound Society’s guidance for the safe use of diagnostic ultrasound equipment.

During pregnancy scans, we can record your baby’s pulsebeat – this sounds very similar to the heartbeat, but is recorded in a different way. We record the pulsebeat by scanning blood flow through the umbilical cord, rather than recording the heartbeat by scanning the heart. This is because consistent ultrasound output in one place can have a heating effect, and we don’t want to put your baby at any level of risk. The fast-moving blood in the umbilical cord quickly disperses any potential heating effect.

Your booking confirmation email will contain information about how to prepare for your specific scan. Each scan webpage also outlines how you need to prepare.

For an Upper Abdominal Scan, you need to fast for 6 hours before your scan and drink only clear fluids. If you are diabetic we suggest you book an early morning appointment and have a single slice of toast (no butter) about 2 hours before your appointment. You can maintain any normal medication.

For a Kidney, Ureters and Bladder Scan, a Prostate Scan or and Pelvic Scan, please arrive with a full bladder.

Yes, it’s a good idea to bring your hospital notes with you if you have them. If your notes are online, make sure you can access them on your mobile device. Our sonographers then have access to them if we need to make an onward referral into the NHS.

If you don’t have any notes yet, you can still book a scan.

No, we will only discuss your scan appointments or results directly with you. With your consent, we can send a copy of your report and images to your preferred healthcare professional.

No, there is no upper weight limit that will prevent you from having an ultrasound scan. However, the image quality is negatively affected by an increased body mass index (BMI). This means that weight could contribute to difficulty securing clear images. Our sonographers will always do their best to get clear results. If we are unable to obtain clear images due to an increased BMI, our report will include a recommendation for an alternative imaging method (such as CT or MRI).

Visit our FAQs page for any further questions you may have.