Private Ultrasound: Where to Get One Near You

Wondering how to find local private ultrasound clinics? Vista Health is here to help. With our nationwide ultrasound clinics, it’s easy to book a private ultrasound appointment near you.

The next question people often ask is “Can you get a private ultrasound scan without a referral?” The answer is a resounding yes. At Vista Health, you can self-refer. In fact, there are just two simple ways to book your private ultrasound appointment:

Option 1 – book online by selecting a convenient date and time for your scan at your preferred Vista Health clinic.

Option 2 – submit a request form online and receive a callback from our friendly team to book your appointment.

Now that you know how to get a private scan, it helps to understand how ultrasound scans work so you can explore the benefits of choosing a private ultrasound.

Ultrasound scans: how do they work?

Ultrasound scans use high-frequency sound waves to create real-time images of the inside of your body. The sound waves are not within the human range of hearing, so you will not hear any scanning noises during your scan.

The sound waves used are generated by a handheld ultrasound device (also called an ultrasound transducer) that is passed across the part of your body that needs investigation. The sound waves enter your body and bounce back whenever they encounter a boundary between different types of body tissue.

These reflected sound waves are detected by the handheld ultrasound device and converted into electrical signals. The electrical signals are then converted into points of brightness on a computer screen. This creates a greyscale image of the inside of your body

As over 1,000 sound waves can be reflected in one second, an ultrasound scan allows real-time imaging of the inside of your body.

How are ultrasound scans different from other imaging tests?

Ultrasound scans are non-invasive, which means no cuts are made into your body and no scopes are inserted. This also means no local or general anaesthesia is needed.

Ultrasound scans use a small, handheld device that is linked to a computer. So you do not need to be moved into a tube-shaped or doughnut-shaped machine, as is the case with MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) and CT (computerised tomography) scans, respectively. This can make ultrasound scans much easier to tolerate, especially if you experience claustrophobia.

Also, as ultrasound does not use the powerful magnets that MRI uses, it is suitable for individuals with metal in their bodies eg metal shrapnel or metal implants that are not compatible with MRI.

Ultrasound does not use the ionising radiation that CT uses, so it is also safe for use at all stages of pregnancy and in children. In fact, ultrasound is routinely used to check the health of a growing baby during pregnancy.

Depending on the area of the body you want to have scanned, an ultrasound scan can be relatively quick. Ultrasound scans usually take between 15 and 45 minutes.

Ultrasound scans produce images of the inside of your body in real-time. This means they allow dynamic imaging of how your internal tissues respond to movement. This can be particularly helpful when investigating musculoskeletal injuries.

Benefits of choosing a private ultrasound scan

Ultrasound is a cost-effective imaging tool. Unlike MRI, which uses powerful magnets, and CT, which uses ionising radiation, ultrasound uses sound waves.

The technology used for ultrasound is, therefore, less expensive to produce, maintain and operate. Consequently, if you are considering the cost of private ultrasound scans, you can rest assured that they are usually more affordable than private MRI and CT scans.

What’s more, at Vista Health, you can self-refer for a private ultrasound scan. This means you do not need to wait to see a GP, physiotherapist or other healthcare professional to receive a referral.

Plus, once you self-refer, you can pick a date and time for your private ultrasound scan that suits you. This means you do not need to deal with the frustration of long waiting lists for your scan. You can also avoid the inconvenience of having to adjust your schedule around your scan appointment.

Ultimately, speedy access to private ultrasound scans means you do not need to worry about your symptoms any longer than needed. Instead, you can have them investigated promptly.

Common uses for private ultrasounds

Private ultrasounds are usually used to investigate unexplained or ongoing symptoms. They can be used to create images of the inside of different body parts, organs and tissues. This can include the abdomen, bowel, bladder, breast, heart, joints and pelvis.

An abdominal ultrasound can help detect damage and diseases affecting abdominal organs such as the kidneys and liver. This may include:

kidney tumours
kidney cysts
kidney infections
kidney stones
liver lesions
fatty liver disease.

An abdominal ultrasound can also detect conditions affecting the pancreas, such as pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer, and the gallbladder, such as gallstones and cholecystitis.

A bladder ultrasound helps detect bladder cancer and bladder stones, and can also help diagnose an overactive bladder.

A bowel ultrasound creates images of the small bowel (small intestine) and large bowel (large intestine or colon). This can help detect:

Inflammatory bowel disease — including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis
Appendicitis
Conditions affecting the gut wall, namely diverticulosis and diverticulitis

A breast ultrasound can help detect breast cancer in women with particularly dense breast tissue. Meanwhile, a heart ultrasound (echocardiogram) can help detect heart failure, heart defects and damage, heart valve problems, cardiomyopathy and endocarditis.

In women, a pelvic ultrasound can help diagnose a range of gynaecological conditions, such as:

ectopic pregnancy
ovarian cysts
pelvic inflammatory disease
uterine fibroids
womb cancer.

In men, a pelvic ultrasound can help detect an enlarged prostate, prostate cancer and prostatitis.

Finally, ultrasound of the joints is used to investigate joint pain caused by a wide variety of conditions, including bursitis, inflamed tendons, and torn muscles, ligaments and tendons.

Book your ultrasound scan today

Are you ready to take control of your health? Eager to finally get to the bottom of that ache, pain or discomfort?

Then book your private ultrasound with Vista Health at one of our conveniently located nationwide clinics.