This article reviews the current cost of running an ultrasound scan in Nigeria.
One of the most significant medical procedures performed today is the ultrasound scan, particularly in the context of pregnancy. The method is a medical one that takes live pictures of the recipient’s inside using high-frequency sound waves. Most significantly, the sonography procedure has proven to be quite beneficial for expectant mothers in determining the health of the developing foetus.
What Is An Ultrasound Scan?
An ultrasound scan, often known as a sonogram, is a medical treatment that produces an image of a portion of the inside of the body using high-frequency sound waves.
An ultrasound scan can be used to guide a surgeon during specific surgeries, monitor the health of the unborn child, or identify a problem.
What does it entail?
The ultrasonic probe, a tiny instrument that emits high-frequency sound waves, is employed.
These sound waves are not noticeable to you, but when they echo off various body regions, they produce “echoes”. The probe identifies and converts it into a moving picture.
While the scan is running, this image is shown on a monitor.
The average ultrasound scan takes fifteen to forty-five minutes. They are typically conducted by a physician, radiographer, or sonographer in a hospital’s radiology department.
These procedures may also be done by other medical professionals, such as physiotherapists or midwives. They must have received specialised training in ultrasound, in public settings like general practitioner offices.
Types Of Ultrasound Scans
Ultrasound is frequently used by doctors for operations like:
1. Abdominal scans:
They can be performed to look at tumours, strange sounds, nausea, vomiting, and pain in the abdomen. The gallbladder, bile ducts, liver, pancreas, spleen, kidneys, and big blood arteries are among the structures that might be inspected. Air blocks the transmission of sound waves, making it difficult to utilise ultrasonography to investigate structures like the stomach and intestines.
2. Pelvic scans:
These may be necessary if a woman has unusual periods, fibroids, cysts, or other disorders related to the female reproductive system, in addition to pelvic pain.
3. Pregnancy scans:
They are used to measure a fetus’s age and location, look for foetal anomalies such spina bifida, and track the fetus’s growth and development.
4. Other uses:
They include musculoskeletal scans (to check areas like a shoulder, hip, or elbow), breast scans (for example, to further investigate an abnormality picked up by physical examination or mammography), and eye scans (to check internal structures). In Australia, having an ultrasound scan performed during pregnancy is now a standard practice. Doppler ultrasounds are a specific kind of ultrasound scan used to measure blood flow velocity and direction in certain body parts, such as the veins and arteries in the legs and neck.
How Much Does It Cost To Run An Ultrasound Scan?
Pregnancy-related abdominal ultrasound scan costs in Nigeria might vary based on a number of factors. These factors include: the type and location of the medical facility, the skill level of the sonographer, and the type of ultrasound scan that is necessary.
In Nigeria, there is a range of estimated costs, though:
Public hospitals: In Nigeria, abdominal ultrasound scan at public hospitals can cost anywhere from ₦5,000 and ₦20,000, making them generally more cheap.
Private hospitals: The cost of an abdominal ultrasound scan can range from ₦10,000 to ₦40,000 in private hospitals, making them more expensive.
It’s crucial to keep in mind that additional exams or treatments can incur additional costs. It is advisable to confirm the cost of the abdomen ultrasound scan with the hospital or diagnostic institution just before arranging the procedure.
You can visit MEMFYS Hospital for their price list on the different types of ultrasound scan they run and how much it cost.
How To Prepare For Such Scan?
The most important preparations you will need to make for an ultrasound usually revolve around the portion of your body to undergo examination. If your abdomen is under examination, your doctor could advise you to fast for eight to twelve hours before your ultrasound scan. Undigested food has the ability to obstruct sound waves. It makes it challenging for the expert to obtain a clear image.
Your doctor may advise you to have a fat-free dinner the night before the scan. Or to stay away from eating anything else until the procedure. This is to allow for an examination of the gallbladder, liver, pancreas, or spleen.
You can, however, continue to take your medications as directed and drink water. For better visualisation for additional studies, you might need to hold your pee and drink a lot of water.
It’s also critical that you let your doctor know about any prescription you take. Prescriptions like over-the-counter medications, herbal supplements, or other medications you use either now or before to your period. It is crucial that you heed your doctor’s instructions and make as many inquiries as possible before to the treatment. When it comes to ultrasound, there are no major hazards. Ultrasounds don’t use radiation, as opposed to CT or X-ray scans and the majority of other scans.
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