Postmenopausal women undergoing transvaginal ultrasound screening prefer not to have chaperones

The Royal College of Radiologists has recommended chaperones of the appropriate gender for those undergoing intimate scans. This has significant implications for clinical and research programmes. Two hundred and fifty women undergoing scanning in a screening trial were sent postal questionnaires to determine their views as to the presence of chaperones and the gender of ultrasonographers. Ninety-five percent of 198 women stated that they would not like another person to be present during transvaginal scanning. Of greater consequence to women was the gender of the ultrasonographer, with 83.3% expressing a preference for a female ultrasonographer. This needs to be considered in making decisions about allocation of scarce resources.