What is a bowel ultrasound?
A bowel ultrasound, also called an intestinal ultrasound, is a scan of the bowel wall through the skin of your tummy. It measures how thick the wall is and whether it is inflamed, without radiation, needles, sedation or bowel preparation. It is increasingly used to assess and monitor inflammatory bowel disease, and to investigate ongoing gut symptoms.
Can you see the bowel on ultrasound?
Yes, with the right technique and an experienced specialist. Most of the small and large bowel can be followed through the tummy wall using a high-frequency probe, and the bowel wall’s thickness and blood flow can be measured. Gas and body shape can hide some segments, particularly deep in the pelvis, and your specialist will tell you honestly which parts were seen.
What can a bowel ultrasound detect?
A bowel ultrasound looks at the gut wall itself:
- Bowel wall thickening, measured segment by segment
- Active inflammation, shown by increased blood flow
- Narrowing (strictures) and swollen bowel above them
- Inflamed fat around the bowel, abscesses and fluid
- Diverticulitis and appendicitis in some cases
Can a bowel ultrasound detect Crohn’s disease?
Yes: bowel ultrasound is now a mainstream test for Crohn’s disease, recommended in European guidelines for assessing and monitoring it. It shows which segments are affected, how active the inflammation is, and complications such as narrowing or abscesses. A first diagnosis of Crohn’s usually also needs a colonoscopy with biopsies, which ultrasound complements rather than replaces.
Can ultrasound detect IBS?
Irritable bowel syndrome is a functional condition: the bowel looks normal on any scan. What ultrasound does well is rule out the conditions that can mimic IBS, such as inflammatory bowel disease, gallstones or ovarian causes, so a normal scan can be genuinely reassuring and help you and your GP manage IBS with confidence.
Can a bowel ultrasound detect bowel cancer?
It can sometimes show a mass or thickening, but bowel ultrasound is not a test for bowel cancer and a normal scan does not rule it out. If you have symptoms such as bleeding from the bottom, a lasting change in bowel habit or unexplained weight loss, the right tests are a FIT stool test, colonoscopy or CT colonography. Your specialist will be clear about this and help arrange the right next step.
Can ultrasound show a bowel obstruction?
Yes: ultrasound can show swollen, fluid-filled loops of bowel and how they are moving, which are signs of obstruction. However, a suspected obstruction is an emergency. If you have severe tummy pain with vomiting, a swollen tummy and are unable to pass wind or stools, go to A&E rather than booking a scan.
What is the difference between a bowel ultrasound and a colonoscopy?
A colonoscopy uses a camera inside the bowel to see the lining directly and take biopsies, which is essential for cancer investigation and for a first diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease. A bowel ultrasound looks at the bowel wall from the outside, with no preparation or sedation, and is ideal for monitoring inflammation and checking response to treatment. They complement each other.
How does a bowel ultrasound compare with CT or MRI?
For monitoring Crohn’s disease, bowel ultrasound in experienced hands gives information comparable to MRI for many segments, with no radiation, no contrast and results the same day. CT uses radiation and is best for emergencies; MRI enterography is best for the deep small bowel and complex disease. Your specialist will recommend MRI if your question needs it.
Is a bowel ultrasound the same as an abdominal ultrasound?
No. A standard abdominal ultrasound looks at the solid organs, such as the liver, gallbladder and kidneys, and largely sees past the bowel. A bowel ultrasound uses a different probe and technique to follow the bowel itself and measure its wall. If you need both, your specialist will tell you.
How do I prepare for a bowel ultrasound?
Avoid food for four hours beforehand to reduce gas; water is fine. No bowel preparation, laxatives or drinking of contrast is needed. Take your usual medication and wear a two-piece outfit.
Is a bowel ultrasound painful?
No. The probe rests on the skin with a little warm gel and gentle pressure is used to move gas aside, which can feel firm over a tender area but should not hurt. There are no needles, no sedation and no recovery time.
How long does a bowel ultrasound take?
Around twenty to thirty minutes. Following the bowel segment by segment takes a little longer than a standard abdominal scan, and there is always time for the specialist to explain the findings on screen.
How accurate is a bowel ultrasound?
In experienced hands, bowel ultrasound is highly accurate for detecting inflammation and complications in Crohn’s disease, particularly in the end of the small bowel and the colon. Accuracy depends on the operator’s skill, which is why our bowel scans are performed by a consultant subspecialised in gastrointestinal imaging.
When should I go to A&E instead of booking a bowel ultrasound?
Go to A&E or call 999 if you have:
- Severe or rapidly worsening tummy pain
- Vomiting with a swollen tummy and no wind or stools
- Heavy bleeding from the bottom, or black, tarry stools
- A high fever with tummy pain
These need urgent care, not a clinic booking.
How much does a bowel ultrasound cost?
At Harley Street Ultrasound a private bowel ultrasound costs £290, all fees inclusive: the examination, the specialist’s time, your written report and images. Same-day or next-day appointments are usually available.
What if you find something?
Your specialist tells you in the room, in plain English, and explains exactly what it means. You will never be sent home to wait for a letter. Most findings are benign and need nothing more than a sensible review date.
Anything that does need attention gets a clear, objective recommendation in your report: monitor, test further, or refer. Follow-up tests can usually be arranged at 99 Harley Street, often the same week, and those results are also explained to you personally.
Do I need a referral?
No. Harley Street Ultrasound is a private clinic, so you can book a bowel ultrasound in London directly online or by phone. No GP letter, no waiting list, and same-day or next-day appointments are usually available. If you are searching for a bowel ultrasound near me from anywhere in central London, we are at 99 Harley Street, a short walk from Regent’s Park and Oxford Circus stations.
If you are wondering how much a private bowel ultrasound costs, the answer is published before you book: £290, all fees inclusive: the examination, the specialist’s time, your written report and your images. Insured patients should bring a referral or authorisation number if their policy requires one.
How soon will I have the written report?
Usually the same day: a Harley Street bowel ultrasound comes with same-day results as standard, and you will already know the findings, because they are explained to you on screen during the appointment.
The written report is prepared by the specialist team and published to your secure patient portal together with your images, with measurements and a clear recommendation, ready to share with your GP or specialist.
What happens after the scan?
Nothing special: there is no aftercare needed. You can eat, drive and go back to work straight away. Diagnostic ultrasound at these intensities has no confirmed adverse effects, which is why it can be repeated safely for monitoring. If your results suggest a next step, your specialist explains it before you leave.
Can I still use the NHS afterwards?
Yes: completely. Coming to us privately never affects your NHS care. Our job is to get you answers quickly; if anything needs urgent attention, your specialist writes to your NHS GP recommending an urgent appointment, so you re-enter the NHS pathway with a diagnosis already in hand rather than joining the queue from the start.
