Radiology

Pregnancy and Imaging Safety

If you are or might be pregnant
Please tell the radiographer before any X-ray or fluoroscopy examination if you are pregnant, think you might be pregnant, or are trying to conceive. This is true even if your referring doctor already knows.
Which imaging is safe in pregnancy?

• Ultrasound uses sound waves and does not use any ionising radiation. It is safe at every stage of pregnancy.
• X-ray and fluoroscopy use small doses of ionising radiation. We only perform these when the information is needed for your care and cannot be obtained another way. When we do, we use the lowest dose possible (the ALARA principle — As Low As Reasonably Achievable) and shield areas not being imaged.

Hysterosalpingogram (HSG) is performed only in the first 10 days of your cycle, after menstrual bleeding has stopped, to be certain you are not pregnant on the day of the test.

Our regulatory framework
The Rotunda’s Radiology Department is licensed each year by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to use radiation sources. All examinations are clinically justified by a Consultant Radiologist or Clinical Specialist Radiographer before they take place.

Before your appointment

What to bring

• Your appointment letter
• A list of any medications you take
• Any previous imaging on disc, if you have it

Preparing for ultrasound

• Pelvic (transabdominal) ultrasound: please drink one litre of water in the hour before your appointment and try not to empty your bladder. A full bladder gives us a clearer image.
• Transvaginal ultrasound: no special preparation. You will be asked to empty your bladder before the scan.
• All other ultrasound: no preparation needed unless your appointment letter says otherwise.

Chaperones and dignity
You are welcome to bring a partner, family member or friend with you. For intimate examinations such as transvaginal ultrasound or HSG, a chaperone will be offered. You can also ask for one at any time.

Interpreters and accessibility
If you need an interpreter, please let us or your referring clinician know in advance so we can arrange one. The department is wheelchair accessible. If you have specific mobility, hearing or sensory needs, please contact us before your appointment and we will accommodate them.

Bringing other children
If you are bringing a baby for imaging and have other children with you, please arrange for another adult to supervise them during the examination. The radiographer will not be able to supervise siblings.

Hysterosalpingogram (HSG)

An HSG is an X-ray examination of the womb (uterus) and fallopian tubes. We pass a thin tube through the cervix and gently inject a special liquid (contrast) so the womb and tubes show up on X-ray images. It helps us understand the shape of the womb and whether the tubes are open.

When the test is performed
HSG is carried out in the first 10 days of your menstrual cycle, after bleeding has stopped, so we can be sure you are not pregnant on the day. You do not need to fast.

Pain relief
Many people find HSG uncomfortable, with cramping similar to period pain during and shortly after the test. We recommend taking paracetamol or ibuprofen (whichever you would normally take) about an hour before your appointment, unless your doctor has told you not to.

What happens during the test
The test takes about 30 minutes. You will lie on the X-ray table. A speculum is used (as in a smear test) so we can see the cervix, and a small soft tube is passed through it. The contrast is then injected slowly. Most of the test is the actual X-ray imaging, which is quick. A chaperone is offered for the examination.

After the test

• Cramping usually settles within a few hours.
• Some light spotting or watery discharge for one to two days is normal. Use a sanitary pad rather than a tampon.
• You can return to normal activities the same day in most cases.

When to contact us
Please contact your referring clinician or your GP if you develop heavy bleeding, fever, severe abdominal pain that is not relieved by simple painkillers, or an unusual vaginal discharge in the days after the test. If you feel unwell out of hours, contact the Emergency Department.

Reassurance framing for paediatric imaging

Imaging your baby
Imaging is an important part of caring for sick or premature babies. Our radiographers are trained specifically in imaging newborns and work closely with the NICU team. Where possible we use ultrasound, which does not involve any radiation. When we do need an X-ray, we use the lowest possible dose and shield areas of the body not being examined.
You may be asked to wear a lead apron and help hold your baby in position. This is normal practice — the apron is precautionary and being held by a parent can help your baby stay calm and still during the image.
Below is a short description of the imaging we most often perform on babies. If you have any questions before, during or after the examination, please ask the radiographer or your baby’s care team.

Results

A Consultant Radiologist will review your images and send a written report to the doctor who referred you, usually within a few working days for routine examinations. Urgent findings are reported the same day and communicated directly to your referring team.

Please contact the doctor or clinic who referred you for your results — they will discuss them with you in the context of your care. You have the right to access your own healthcare records; see the Rotunda’s Accessing Your Healthcare Records page for how to make a request.

Bringing other family members with you

Accompanying adult
Every patient attending Radiology — particularly babies and young children — must be accompanied by a parent, legal guardian, or a designated nurse or healthcare assistant. Adult outpatients are welcome to bring a partner, family member or friend with them.

Bringing siblings
You are welcome to bring other children with you, but please be aware that you will need to supervise them throughout your visit. For everyone’s safety, our radiographers cannot supervise other children while performing an examination. If it is not possible to supervise siblings during the appointment, we may have to cancel and rebook the examination. Where possible, we recommend arranging childcare in advance for siblings.

Staying with your baby during the examination
For most routine examinations, a parent, guardian or member of the care team can remain with the baby in the room during imaging. The radiographer will let you know if there is any reason this is not possible for a particular examination, and will explain what to expect.

Investigations undertaken on babies

Chest x-ray
We usually obtain one view of the chest while the baby is lying on his/her back. The arms are held out of the way of the chest and the image is taken when the baby has taken a deep breath. The midwife or parent wearing a lead apron may be asked to hold the baby in position while the images are taken. No preparation is needed before this examination.

Abdominal x-ray
This may consist of one view of the abdomen while the baby is lying flat on the incubator or x-ray table, or two views, depending on the clinical situation. The second view is taken while the baby is lying on his or her left side or while the baby is held upright. No preparation is needed before this examination. The midwife or parent wearing a lead apron may be asked to hold the baby in position while the images are taken.

Skull x-ray
Two x-rays of the skull are taken while the baby is lying on the incubator or x-ray table. The skull has lots of complex bony anatomy so getting the right angle for the diagnosis is often a challenging task for the radiographer. No preparation is needed before this examination.

X-ray of the arm or leg
An x-ray of an arm or leg or other part of the body may be needed when there is concern about an injured bone, or other problem of bone. Usually two or more x-rays are taken of the body part being examined. No preparation is needed before this examination.

Barium swallow or meal
The baby swallows contrast (dye) from a bottle or has the contrast put into a tube already in the baby’s stomach. The radiologist can see how well the baby swallows and if there is any problem with the oesophagus, the stomach or the first part of the small bowel. Usually, the baby is lying on the x-ray table for this examination. Certain images are taken by the radiologist, using the x-ray camera, during the study. Sometimes extra x-rays are taken after the contrast has moved further into the bowel. The baby must be fasting (nothing to eat or drink) for 3 hours before this examination.

Barium or contrast enema
This study requires coating the inside wall of the colon (bowel) with barium or other type of contrast (usually clear liquid that contains iodine which can be seen on x-ray images). Contrast (dye) is injected in through a tube in the rectum (back passage) into the colon. The baby is placed in several different positions for the images so that the contrast can coat and outline the entire colon. In neonates, where obstruction is usually the problem, there is no preparation needed.

Ultrasound scans
The scans are usually done when the baby is lying down. The midwife or parent can stay with the baby while the scan is performed. A special gel is put on the baby’s skin. Ultrasound scans are very safe and do not hurt but the baby may respond to the cold gel or to the probe as it is moved gently over the skin.
Ultrasound scans are particularly useful in the neonatal unit for imaging the newborn’s brain through the anterior fontanelle (soft spot of the skull), the liver, kidneys, pancreas and spleen and for investigating certain problems of the hips and spine. The range of ultrasounds performed in the Rotunda requires no preparation.

Data Protection

X‑rays, scans, and other imaging are stored securely through the National Integrated Medical Imaging System (NIMIS). This system allows your images to be shared safely between healthcare providers involved in your care, ensuring that clinicians have fast access to the information they need. Under GDPR Article 15, you have the right to request access to your imaging records, just like any other part of your health record. You can find out how to make an access request through the Accessing Your Healthcare Records segment.

Contact Details

Telephone: 01 8171741

Email: [email protected]

For HSG related queries/appointments: [email protected] 

Address:  Radiology Department, Outpatients (Orange Zone), Rotunda Hospital, Parnell Square, Dublin 1, D01 P5W9.

If you need to cancel or rearrange your appointment, please give us as much notice as possible so we can offer your slot to another patient.

Pelvic Ultrasound Patient Information leaflet Click here

Hysterosalpingography Patient Information Leaflet Click here

Uterine Artery Embolisation (UAE) Leaflet Click here