What Scan Do I Need? A Symptom-to-Scan Guide
Symptoms do not come labelled with scan protocols — and they do not need to. Match yours below, or let the Scan Advisor walk you through it.
The right ultrasound scan depends on where your symptom is, how long it has been there, and what question needs answering. The table below maps common symptoms to the scan that usually answers them, and our free Scan Advisor can guide you through it interactively. If you are still unsure, call us on 0203 051 6506 — a two-minute conversation is usually all it takes.
Match your symptom to the right scan
| Your symptom or need | Scan that usually answers it |
|---|---|
| Pregnancy — reassurance, dating, gender, growth | Pregnancy scans |
| Pelvic pain, heavy or irregular periods, bloating (women) | Women’s health scans — usually a pelvic ultrasound |
| Trying to conceive — cycle and follicle assessment | Fertility scans |
| Testicular lump, groin swelling, male health check | Men’s health scans |
| Tummy pain, bloating after eating, suspected gallstones, urinary symptoms | General & abdominal scans |
| Joint, muscle or tendon pain — shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee, ankle, foot | MSK scans |
| Calf swelling, leg pain after travel, stroke-risk or aorta check | Vascular scans — DVT, carotid or aortic ultrasound |
| A lump you can feel — neck, armpit, breast, skin or soft tissue | Lumps & bumps ultrasound (or breast ultrasound for breast lumps) |
Use the Scan Advisor
Prefer to be guided? The Scan Advisor asks about your symptom the way our triage call would, then suggests the most appropriate examination.
The wrong-scan pattern — and how we catch it
The most common mismatch we see is patients booking a general abdominal scan when their symptoms are actually pelvic or urological, or booking a limited study when a targeted Doppler or small-parts assessment would answer the question better. It is completely understandable — patients do not speak in scan protocols — but it matters for how much diagnostic value your appointment delivers.
That gap — between what patients think they need and what will actually answer the clinical question — is why we built the Scan Advisor. It is essentially our triage conversation as a guided tool: it translates symptoms into the most appropriate examination, so you arrive for the right scan the first time.
Some questions are better answered by X-ray, MRI, CT or blood tests — and some symptoms should not wait for imaging at all. Sudden severe pain, chest pain, heavy bleeding, sudden weakness or confusion, or feeling seriously unwell need 999 or A&E, not a scan booking. For persistent but non-urgent symptoms, your GP remains the best first port of call — our reports are written so your GP can act on them.
Know which scan you need?
Self-referral, HCPC-registered sonographers, findings discussed at your scan, and a written report usually within two hours.
Kensington, London W8 4ED
3 mins from Notting Hill Gate
The triage pattern described above comes from IUS London’s clinical practice. This article is general information, not individual medical advice — if in doubt about a symptom, speak to your GP or call NHS 111.
Written and clinically reviewed by the HCPC-registered sonographers who perform this scan at IUS London — a CQC-registered diagnostic ultrasound clinic (Provider ID 1-2775844974). Your own findings are explained to you at the scan and set out in your report.
Author: Yianni Kiromitis, Senior Sonographer, HCPC RA38415
Medically reviewed: 31 July 2026
