Annual Well-Woman Ultrasound — Your Yearly Screening Appointment
A yearly ultrasound check of your abdomen, pelvis, urinary tract, aorta and thyroid — and a baseline your sonographer can compare against, year after year.
- Self-referral — no GP letter needed
- One-hour appointment in Kensington, W8
- Preliminary findings discussed at your scan — written report usually within two hours
CQC-registered clinic · Provider ID 1-2775844974 · HCPC-registered sonographers
How often should you have a well-woman ultrasound?
Most women who use our well-woman ultrasound scan as a health check repeat it once a year. There is no national rule that sets this interval — an annual scan is a personal choice, not an NHS requirement. But in our practice, the women who return each year get something a one-off scan cannot give: a baseline. Each new scan is compared against the last, so we are no longer asking “is this normal?” in isolation — we are asking “has anything changed?”
Some findings need checking more often than yearly, and some symptoms should never wait for your next annual appointment. This page explains what the annual scan covers, why the yearly comparison matters, when a shorter interval is advised, and the warning signs that need attention now.
What the annual scan covers
The same five areas are checked at every visit, so each year’s images can be compared directly with the last. The well-woman scan page explains each area in full detail, and our clinical guide to what each part of the scan looks for walks through how every component is performed.
Abdomen
Liver, gallbladder, spleen, pancreas and kidneys — checked for size, texture and any new findings.
Pelvis
Uterus and ovaries — including fibroids (benign growths of the womb muscle), ovarian cysts (fluid-filled sacs) and the womb lining.
Urinary tract
Kidneys, ureters and bladder — including stones and how well your bladder empties.
Aorta
The body’s largest artery, checked for an aneurysm — a bulge in the artery wall that is best found early.
Thyroid & neck
The thyroid gland, checked for nodules (small lumps) or enlargement.
Optional add-ons
Breast and carotid artery ultrasound can be added to your annual visit if you wish.
Why a yearly interval — what your baseline changes
A first scan is a snapshot. It can tell you whether everything looks within normal limits on that day — and for many women that reassurance is exactly what they want. A repeat scan a year later does something different: it turns that snapshot into a comparison.
Many common findings in women’s health are not “normal or abnormal” — they are things to watch. A small fibroid, a simple ovarian cyst, a tiny thyroid nodule. What matters most with these is not that they exist, but whether they are stable, growing, or changing. That question can only be answered with a prior scan to compare against. An annual interval is frequent enough to pick up meaningful change, without turning routine health checks into a source of constant worry.
One honest limit: no screening test finds everything, and a clear scan is not a guarantee of health. An annual ultrasound works alongside your NHS screening invitations and your GP — it does not replace them. If you are unsure whether this scan is right for you, we are happy to talk it through before you book, and your GP can advise based on your history.
What we see in women who return every year
Over the years, one of the most valuable patterns we see is in women who return annually for their scans. What changes between scans is often subtle, but clinically significant. We are not just looking for obvious disease — we are tracking progression, stability, and deviation from that individual woman’s norm.
In practical terms, the baseline means we can identify growth trends in fibroids or cysts earlier; distinguish stable, benign findings from those that need further investigation; escalate care sooner when something does change; and reduce unnecessary anxiety — because we can confidently say, “this hasn’t changed since last year.” That longitudinal view is far more powerful than any single scan: it turns ultrasound from a one-off diagnostic test into a monitoring strategy for your long-term health.
This is a generalised pattern from our women’s imaging casebook, not an individual case. Every woman’s situation is different — findings on your scan are always discussed with you individually, and anything that needs further assessment is referred on with a written report you can take to your GP or specialist.
When you may need scans more often than once a year
Annual is a good default for general health checks — but some findings have their own follow-up timetables, and your sonographer will tell you at your scan if a shorter interval is advised for you. Common examples:
- 1
Fibroids being monitoredFibroids that are growing or causing symptoms may need review sooner than a year. See how often fibroids should be scanned.
- 2
Thyroid nodules under surveillanceSome nodules are rechecked at set intervals after the first finding. See thyroid nodule follow-up intervals.
- 3
A dilated aortaIf the aorta measures above normal, it is monitored on a defined schedule rather than yearly. See AAA surveillance intervals.
- 4
Ovarian cysts under reviewSome cysts are rescanned after a few months to confirm they have resolved or stayed stable — your report will say if this applies to you.
How this fits alongside NHS screening
The NHS runs excellent national screening programmes — but for most women under 65, none of them looks at the organs this scan covers. The annual well-woman ultrasound fills that gap by choice; it does not replace any NHS invitation you receive, and you should always attend those.
| Area | NHS screening offer | Annual well-woman ultrasound |
|---|---|---|
| Breast | Mammogram every 3 years, ages 50 to 71 | Optional breast ultrasound add-on — a complement to mammography, not a substitute |
| Aorta | One-off scan for men at 65; not routinely offered to women | Checked at every annual visit |
| Ovaries, uterus, kidneys, liver, thyroid | No routine NHS screening programme | Checked at every annual visit |
| Cervix | NHS cervical screening by smear test | Not covered — ultrasound cannot replace cervical screening; keep attending |
Some symptoms need assessment now, not at your next yearly check. Contact your GP promptly — or call NHS 111 if you cannot reach them — if you have: bleeding after the menopause, bleeding between periods or after sex, a new lump in the breast, neck or elsewhere, persistent bloating or tummy pain lasting more than a few weeks, blood in your urine, or unexplained weight loss. If you ever have severe sudden pain, heavy bleeding, chest pain or feel seriously unwell, call 999 or go to A&E. A booked private scan is never a reason to delay urgent NHS care.
Is a yearly scan right for you?
- You have a finding already being monitored, such as a fibroid or a thyroid nodule
- You have a family history that makes a shorter interval sensible
- Your last scan showed something the report asked to recheck
- You are postmenopausal and want the endometrium tracked
- Symptoms have changed since your last appointment
- Your last scan was entirely normal and nothing has changed
- You have no symptoms and no monitored findings
- You are already attending NHS cervical and breast screening
- Nothing about a new scan would change what you or your GP do next
What a yearly interval actually buys
Three honest points about repeating a scan on a calendar.
Comparison is the real value
A single scan describes today. Two scans a year apart describe a direction — and a fibroid that has grown, or one that has not, is far more useful than either measurement alone.
The interval is a convention
No evidence supports annual whole-body ultrasound in women without symptoms. Where a finding is being monitored, the interval should follow that finding rather than the calendar.
It sits alongside NHS screening
Cervical screening and breast screening are separate programmes with their own evidence and their own invitations. A private scan does not cover either, and attending both still matters.
What a repeat scan tends to show
Report symptoms when they happen, not at your next scan. Postmenopausal bleeding, a new lump or persistent pelvic pain need assessment now — a booked annual appointment is not the place to wait for them.
Where to go from here
Annual well-woman scan — your questions answered
Is once a year the right interval for everyone?
Does this replace my NHS screening invitations?
What happens if something has changed since last year?
Do I need a GP referral to book?
How long does the appointment take, and when do I get results?
How much does the annual scan cost?
Do I need to prepare differently for a repeat scan?
Can I set up a yearly reminder?
Does the annual scan replace NHS screening?
What if nothing has changed since last year?
Due your yearly scan?
Book your next well-woman ultrasound — same clinic, same comparison against your baseline, report usually within two hours.
Kensington, London W8 4ED
3 mins from Notting Hill Gate
NHS screening facts on this page are drawn from NHS: Who breast screening is for and NHS: Abdominal aortic aneurysm screening (both accessed 22 July 2026). The practice pattern described above comes from IUS London’s women’s imaging casebook — always discuss your own screening needs with a healthcare professional.
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