abdominal
ABDOMINAL
Ultrasound is, in most cases, the first imaging technique used to diagnose and characterize abdominal pathology. A complete abdominal ultrasound examines the Liver, Pancreas, Gallbladder, Kidneys, Spleen, Bladder, & Abdominal blood vessels. such as the inferior vena cava and the aorta. A right upper quadrant ultrasound examines three organs of the digestive system, the Liver, Pancreas, & Gallbladder.
HOW TO PREPARE FOR YOUR ABDOMINAL ULTRASOUND
- Adults: Do not eat or drink eight hours before the exam.
- Children: Do not eat or drink four hours before study or skip one meal.
- Take medications with a small sip of water.
- If you are diabetic, please take your insulin.
INDICATIONS FOR ABDOMINAL ULTRASOUND
- Abdominal, flank, and/or back pain .
- Signs or symptoms that may be referred from the abdominal and/or retroperitoneal regions, such as jaundice or hematuria.
- Palpable abnormalities, such as an abdominal mass or organomegaly.
- Abnormal laboratory values or abnormal findings on other imaging examinations suggestive of abdominal and/or retroperitoneal pathology .
- Follow-up of known or suspected abnormalities in the abdomen and/or retroperitoneum .
- Evaluation of cirrhosis, portal hypertension, and transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) stents; screening for hepatoma; and evaluation of the liver in conjunction with liver elastography .
- Abdominal trauma .
- Search for metastatic disease or an occult primary neoplasm .
- Evaluation of urinary tract infection and hydronephrosis .
- Search for the presence of free or loculated peritoneal and/or retroperitoneal fluid.
- Evaluation of suspected congenital abnormalities.
- Evaluation of suspected hypertrophic pyloric stenosis, intussusception, necrotizing enterocolitis, or any other bowel abnormalities .
- Pretransplantation and posttransplantation evaluation .
- Planning for and guiding an invasive procedure .
- Evaluation of uncontrolled hypertension and suspected renal artery stenosis.
What Ultrasound Can Determine
- Aortic Aneurysm
- Atherosclerosis
- Ascites
- Gallstones
- Cholecystitis
- Kidney Stones
- Hydronephrosis
- Mass or Cyst of Abdominal Organs
- Pancreatitis
- Spleen Enlargement
- Liver Enlargement
- Cirrhosis
- Fatty Liver Disease
- Intussusception
- Pyloric Stenosis
