THEscan is a medical imaging technique that relies on the use of ultrasound, which makes it possible to “visualize” the inside of the body. Exploration of the urinary tract by ultrasound makes it possible to observe:

• the waist
• the ureters (ducts connecting the kidneys to the bladder) and the urethra (duct connecting the bladder to the outside)
• la bladder
• possibly the testes and prostate in humans, although they are not strictly part of the urinary tract

   

Ultrasound is a painless and non-invasive examination: it is therefore prescribed as a first-line examination when the doctor suspects an abnormality in the urinary system, in particular in the kidneys.

The doctor can therefore prescribe this examination in several situations:

• abdominal pain
• presence of blood in urine (hematuria)
• urinary symptoms (difficulty emptying the bladder, urgent and frequent urination, etc.)
• some cases ofurinary tract infection
• suspicion of renal colic or kidney stone
• looking for a malformation of the urinary tract
• renal failure.

Ultrasound consists in exposing the tissues or organs that one wishes to observe to ultrasonic waves. It does not require any preparation or anesthesia.

Usually, you will be asked to have a full bladder, and lie on your back (to see the bladder) or on your side (to see the kidneys).

A gel is applied to the skin at the level of the organ to be explored, then the probe which emits the ultrasound is applied to the skin. The image is reconstructed in real time on a screen.

This exam allows:

• visualize the different anatomical parts of the kidneys, measure their size and detect any abnormal masses
• visualize the bladder (provided it is full)
• visualize the ends of the ureters and see if they are dilated or not

Ultrasonography of the urinary tract can detect many conditions, including:

• the presence of a kidney stone (lithiasis)
• the presence of a kidney or bladder tumor
• the presence of kidney cysts
• a malformation
• of the polyps bladder
• un adenoma or hypertrophy prostate

If a tumor is found, other examinations (MRI, CT scan, intravenous urography) will be necessary to confirm the diagnosis.