Ultrasound · Singapore
Ultrasound uses sound waves, not radiation, to show organs and soft tissue in real time. Scans are done at Wheelock Place and reviewed with you by our doctors.
Live images of your organs from sound waves, with no radiation.
An ultrasound scan uses high-frequency sound waves to create live images of organs and soft tissue. A handheld probe is moved over gel on the skin, and the echoes that bounce back are turned into pictures. It involves no radiation, so it can be repeated when a finding needs following up.
At Fusion Medical, ultrasound is part of many health screening packages. Depending on the package, you can choose scans of the thyroid, kidneys, liver and gallbladder (the hepatobiliary system), the whole abdomen, the pelvis, the prostate or the breasts. An abdominal scan can also include elastography, which estimates how stiff the liver is.
Ultrasound is good at showing the size and shape of organs and at telling fluid-filled cysts from solid lumps. It cannot always say whether a lump is harmless, and some findings need a blood test, another scan or a specialist's opinion. Your doctor explains what the report means for you.
Types of scan
Each scan answers a different question, so the area scanned depends on your age, sex, symptoms and the package you choose. Some scans need a full bladder and some need fasting, which is why preparation instructions are specific to the scan. Your doctor can help you choose.
Sound waves, gel and a probe
You lie on a couch and a warm, water-based gel is applied to the skin. A probe (transducer) sends sound waves into the body and picks up the echoes, which the machine turns into moving images. The gel wipes off afterwards and does not stain clothing.
Thyroid, liver, kidneys and abdomen
Scans that look at organs in the neck and abdomen:
Pelvis, prostate and breasts
Pelvic ultrasound checks the uterus and ovaries for fibroids and cysts, and prostate ultrasound looks at the size of the prostate gland; both are usually done over the lower abdomen with a full bladder. Breast ultrasound is often used with a mammogram to tell a cyst from a solid lump, especially in dense breasts.
Who it's for
In health screening, ultrasound is used to look at organs where problems often cause no symptoms early on, such as fatty liver, gallstones, thyroid nodules, fibroids and ovarian cysts. Your doctor suggests the scans that fit your age, sex, history and blood results.
Some scans need fasting or a full bladder — check your instructions.
Abdominal ultrasound with elastography looks for fatty liver and liver stiffness in the Liver & Cardiovascular package.
Pelvic ultrasound looks for fibroids and ovarian cysts, and is included in our women's and menopause packages.
Breast ultrasound is used alongside a mammogram, and is often the first test for a breast lump during pregnancy.
Prostate and abdominal ultrasound are part of the Andropause screening package.
Choose thyroid, kidney, liver, pelvic, prostate or breast scans as your diagnostic tests in the Deluxe, Gold, Diamond and Pearl packages.
Your scan, step by step
Choose a scan within a screening package, or ask our team about adding one. We confirm which areas will be scanned and how to prepare.
Fast for abdominal and liver scans, arrive with a full bladder for pelvic, kidney and prostate scans, and wear comfortable clothing.
You lie on a couch, gel is applied and a probe is moved over the area. Most scans take 10–30 minutes.
The findings are reported, and your doctor explains them alongside your other screening results and advises on any follow-up.
Inside the clinic
Dr Juliana and Dr Wenus show the clinic's imaging services, including mammography, X-ray and ultrasound, all at Wheelock Place.
Safety & expectations
Ultrasound uses sound waves, not radiation, so it can be repeated whenever a finding needs a second look.
Follow the preparation for your scan — fasting or a full bladder — as it affects image quality. Tell us if you are pregnant, and bring previous scan reports so findings can be compared.
Fusion Medical performs ultrasound scans on site at Wheelock Place, 501 Orchard Road. Scans of the thyroid, kidneys, liver and gallbladder, abdomen, pelvis, prostate and breasts are available within, or as add-ons to, our health screening packages, and our doctors review the results with you. Our team can tell you which package includes the scan you need.
It depends on the type of ultrasound scan. For abdominal, liver and gallbladder scans, you will be asked not to eat or drink for at least 8 hours beforehand, although plain water is allowed; this is the same fast as for screening blood tests. Thyroid, breast, kidney and pelvic scans don't normally need fasting. If you have diabetes, ask your doctor how to manage your medicines while fasting.
A pelvic ultrasound needs a full bladder because it lifts the bowel out of the way and lets sound waves pass through to the uterus and ovaries, or the prostate, giving clearer images. You will be asked to drink about 5–6 glasses of water and to avoid passing urine for around an hour before the scan. You can empty your bladder straight afterwards. If you have been told to limit your fluids, tell us first.
An ultrasound is not usually painful. You lie on a couch while a probe is moved over gel on your skin. You may feel light pressure, and a full bladder can make a pelvic scan uncomfortable for a few minutes. There are no needles and no radiation.
An ultrasound scan usually takes about 10–30 minutes for each area scanned. If your package includes several scans, or the ultrasound is part of a full health screening, plan for a longer visit: most screenings take 2 to 4 hours in total, including blood tests and the doctor's consultation.
Ultrasound uses sound waves rather than X-rays, so there is no radiation exposure. That is why it can be used in pregnancy and repeated when a finding needs following up. If you are pregnant, tell us when you book; it is advisable to check with your gynaecologist before a full health screening.
An ultrasound can show whether a lump is a fluid-filled cyst or solid, and describe its size and shape, but it cannot always say whether a solid lump is harmless. Many findings turn out to be benign. If a result needs clarifying, your doctor may suggest a repeat scan, blood tests or a referral to a specialist.
A breast ultrasound is used to check a lump you can feel or an area seen on a mammogram, and to tell a fluid-filled cyst from a solid lump. It can add detail when breasts are dense and is often the first test for a breast lump in pregnancy. It does not replace screening mammograms, because some early cancers show only on a mammogram. Breast ultrasound can be chosen in several of our screening packages.
Doctor-led care
Appointments
Book a screening consultation at Wheelock Place and our team will help you choose the scans that suit your age and health history.
