Ultrasound — fast facts

Sound-wave imaging. No radiation, safe for all patients (including pregnancy). Poor through bone, air, and gas — so lung and bowel aren't well imaged.

Key facts

• Length: 20–60 min depending on scan and sonographer
• Booking: Appointment required for all US. Walk-ins only for urgent cases (DVT, PV bleed, ?appendicitis, ?torsion) — clear with supervisor + sonographer first
• All UR sites cover all US sub-specialties (MSK, obstetric, vascular). No need to triage bookings by site for sonographer specialty.
• Radiologist-on-site required: MSK (upper/lower limb, chest/abdo wall), penile Doppler, and all injections/procedures

Urgent — same-day book

Referral rules

• GPs: all US except specialist-only obstetric items
• Specialists: all US (OB/GYN required for specialist obstetric)
• Midwives (with provider no.): obstetric items only (<12wk, 12–16wk, NT, morphology, 3rd trimester)
• Podiatrists: foot/ankle only
• Repeat 2nd/3rd trimester scans (55712, 55721): MUST be OB/GYN or GP with Dip Obs — otherwise no rebate
• NR items available for most regions at reduced rebate when referrer isn't eligible. NR is NOT available for vascular US.

Patient prep (by scan type)

Patient prep by scan type

• •Abdomen (55036): 6hr fast, water + meds only. Paeds 10-16: 4hr fast. Paeds <10: 2hr fast.
• •Renal / Urinary tract (55058): empty bladder 1-2hr before, then drink 1L water. Do NOT empty before appt.
• •Pelvis (55065): same as renal — bladder filling required. Internal (TV) scan likely; sonographer discusses on the day.
• •Obstetric <22wk: empty bladder 1hr before, then 1-3 glasses water (varies by scan).
• •Obstetric 3rd trimester: no prep.
• •Breast / Scrotum / Neck / Thyroid / Orbits: no prep. If mammo same day — no talc or powder; book mammo FIRST if patient >40.
• •Vascular abdo (aorta, renal arteries, 55276/55278): 4hr fast, water + meds.
• •Lower limb arteries (55238): 4hr fast, water + meds.
• •All MSK, vascular limb veins, head/neck vessels: no prep.

Same-day billing traps

• Abdo (55036) + Renal (55058): can do same day, bill 55036 only
• Pelvis (55065) + Renal: same day OK, bill renal only, OR split 24hrs apart
• Breast US + Chest/Abdo wall US: NOT same day
• Lower limb vascular + knee/lower leg/ankle/foot MSK: NOT same day
• NT (55707): cannot be within 24hr of <12wk or 12–16wk scan
• Bilateral MSK: must bill the bilateral item, not the single × 2
• Shoulder / knee US: pain alone is NOT an eligible indication — referral must list specific pathology (rotator cuff, bursitis, meniscal cyst, etc.) or no rebate

Bulk-billing

Follows referrer eligibility + item rules above. Same guidance as other modalities: quote private fee, bulk-bill at reception if it qualifies. See the MBS codes page for current item-level detail.

Common MBS codes