FIGURE 131.15 Longitudinal view of uterus through the bladder Arrows designate the potential space of pouch of Douglas posterior to uterus An endocavitary probe should be used for the transvaginal approach Although the transvaginal transducer is of higher frequency and produces sharper images, the field of view is more limited The bladder should be emptied prior to performing the scan After the probe is cleaned and covered, it is inserted into the vaginal canal with the marker facing anteriorly It often helps to have the anxious patient insert the probe into the vaginal canal herself A standard transvaginal longitudinal view is obtained (Fig 131.16 ) Once the longitudinal view is obtained, the probe should be rotated such that the marker is to the patient’s right to obtain a transverse view With each planar view, it is important to fan the probe along the scanning plane axes to visualize the entire body of the uterus More experienced sonographers may also be able to visualize the fallopian tubes and ovaries, but it is important to emphasize that the purpose of the examination is primarily to determine the presence or absence of an IUP