Ultrasound questions, answered

Yes, appointments are necessary for all of our services. You can book online, or call us at (704) 896-9798. We offer evening and weekend appointments.

Depending on the package you choose, the 4D ultrasound session will last between 20 and 30 minutes. Overall, it will be about one hour, as we need some time to print and edit the pictures. Each appointment is up to an hour long in case the baby is not cooperating.

If you plan on having only one 4D ultrasound examination, we recommend having it between the 24th and 32nd week of the pregnancy. However, excellent images of your baby can be obtained anytime after about 22 weeks. Many mothers have more than one 4D ultrasound and have images to enjoy from their second and third trimesters.

Absolutely, this is a family event. The more the merrier. We do have somewhat limited space, so if you are going to bring friends or family, please call ahead so we can make sure we can accommodate everyone. Guests who can’t be there can watch live with Sonostream.

Unfortunately there are no guarantees. The baby’s position, the amount of amniotic fluid and the mother’s body type are beyond our control. We have an experienced sonographer who is innovative, and this rarely becomes a problem. If it does happen, we encourage you to come back another day. We want everyone to be totally satisfied.

Our best customer is a happy one, and we get more business from word of mouth than anything else. In the rare event the baby is in a position that does not allow for satisfactory pictures, we’ll make arrangements to have you try again.

Please bring your own clean flash drive with at least 500MB, or Lake Norman 3D Imaging can supply one for an additional $10.

We have packages to fit just about anyone’s budget, and you can see every price on our elective ultrasound page. Elective ultrasound is not covered by insurance. We accept Mastercard, Visa and cash. We cannot accept personal checks. We offer police, firefighter, teacher and military discounts, so call us for details.

We offer elective 2D, 3D, 4D and HD prenatal ultrasounds to provide a positive bonding experience for the mother, father and family members with the unborn baby. We feel that realistic surface images provide a connection between the parents and baby that can be beneficial to the whole family. We make no claims that 3D as used in this examination is performed to better assess the baby for abnormalities. A routine ultrasound examination must have already been performed to assess the gestational age of the fetus and to evaluate for fetal anomalies as well as the basic components of fetal anatomy recommended for screening.

Absolutely not. Women seeking an elective prenatal ultrasound must be receiving prenatal care from a healthcare provider and must already have had a medical, diagnostic ultrasound ordered by their provider to confirm their due date, screen for fetal anomalies, and look for any other pregnancy related issues. The elective session includes a limited scan to confirm the heartbeat, the number of babies, the position of the baby and the placental location. At no time is this exam to be used in place of a complete diagnostic ultrasound.

2D ultrasound is the standard black and white image you will typically receive at your doctor’s appointment. 3D ultrasound images show much more detail of the baby’s facial features. 4D ultrasound shows the movement of your baby in the womb. HD ultrasound gives you the most realistic view of your baby in the womb. We use a GE Voluson with HD Live technology.

Extensive studies over 30 years have found that ultrasound has not been shown to cause any harm to mother or baby. Routine scanning of all pregnancies is now normal throughout the United States. In 3D/4D scanning, exactly the same type and intensity of ultrasound is used as with conventional 2D scanning. 3D and 4D ultrasound both use sound waves to look inside the body: a probe placed on the body emits sound waves, listens for the return echo and generates an image. 4D ultrasound is similar to a conventional scan in terms of exposure.

Yes, in most cases we can provide an indication of the sex of the baby, starting at 15 weeks. We can’t guarantee that the baby will cooperate during your session. Certain factors such as body tissue content, developmental stage and fetal position all affect the ability to determine sex. You can also find out as early as 6 weeks with SneakPeek DNA gender testing.

Yes. A provider order is required for diagnostic ultrasound. SBI Diagnostic Ultrasound Services provides affordable, self-pay diagnostic ultrasound, including general, vascular, cardiac and OB/GYN exams. Our sonographers are registered through the ARDMS (American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers), and the reading fee is included in the price of every exam.

Have your provider’s order ready and call us at (704) 896-9798. Please let us know which exam you need and we will schedule your appointment.