The ultrasound examination of the abdominal cavity is a safe and easily accessible examination, thanks to which it is possible to exclude selected pathologies causing abdominal pain. Ultrasound examination, together with the analysis of reported clinical symptoms, may direct to further stages of the diagnostic procedure. The ultrasound examination of the abdominal cavity includes the assessment of mainly parenchymal organs: liver with gallbladder, pancreas, spleen, kidneys and adrenal glands, uterus and appendages in women and prostate gland in men. The ultrasound diagnosis of the abdomen includes the location of the organ, its size, and also its echogenicity. The patency of the biliary and urinary tract, the condition of the lymph nodes and large vessels in the abdominal cavity are also assessed. The patient should be properly prepared for the ultrasound examination of the abdominal cavity.
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Abdominal ultrasound - how to prepare?
Preparation for an abdominal ultrasound examination includes the following recommendations:
In the period of 2 days before the examination, do not eat heavy or fainting products.
On the day before the examination, you can take an agent that reduces the accumulation of gases in the digestive tract, eg Espumisan.
On the day of the examination:
be on an empty stomach or you must not eat anything for 6 hours before the test,
drink a liter of still water (4 glasses) about 1-2 hours before the examination (the bladder should be full during the ultrasound examination of the abdomen).
What does an abdominal ultrasound look like?
Before the ultrasound examination, the doctor conducts an interview regarding the reported ailments. He can also examine the abdomen by applying pressure to the abdominal wall in certain places. During the examination, the patient lies on his back or on his side. In order to perform an ultrasound, the doctor puts a special gel on the abdominal wall and then applies a head emitting ultrasound waves. The examination is completely safe and painless. In some cases, during the examination, the doctor may ask the patient to use the toilet to empty the bladder - this allows for a more complete assessment of the urinary system. An abdominal ultrasound scan usually takes about 15 minutes.
Abdominal ultrasound - what can it show?
Ultrasound of the pancreas
Pancreatic lesions usually cause pain in the mesogastrium and left hypochondrium. Full assessment of the pancreas in ultrasound can sometimes be problematic due to possible obscuring by the stomach and duodenum. Due to the multitude of pathologies within the pancreas, the final diagnosis often requires confirmation by other tests.
Pancreatic diseases and pathologies visible during ultrasound of the abdomen:
acute pancreatitis,
chronic pancreatitis,
calcifications in the pancreatic parenchyma and the wall of the pancreatic ducts,
pseudocysts,
fibrous changes of the pancreas,
pancreatic pseudoaneurysm,
inflammatory tumor (most often in the head of the pancreas),
cancerous tumors.
Spleen ultrasound
Spleen abnormalities give pain in the left hypochondrium or left side. Spleen enlargement (so-called splenomegaly) is observed in general and local inflammatory processes, immune disorders, leukemia, and storage diseases (e.g. Gaucher disease). The spleen is also assessed in abdominal traumatic conditions - damage to the spleen can lead to a life-threatening hemorrhage.
Ultrasound of the liver and bile ducts
Changes in the liver and gallbladder generate a feeling of pressure or pain in the right upper abdomen. Abdominal ultrasound is the basic imaging technique for the liver and bile ducts. Pathologies that can be initially diagnosed during an ultrasound examination are:
cholecystolithiasis,
inflammation of the gallbladder,
cirrhosis,
fatty liver,
liver fibrosis,
portal hypertension.
Ultrasound of the urinary system
Kidney or urinary tract pathologies may result in asymmetric abdominal pain symptoms radiating to the back, and may also cause difficulty urinating. The kidneys and the bladder are always assessed during a general ultrasound of the abdominal cavity. In the case of reported urination disorders, the ureters are assessed, and in men, the size of the prostate (prostate) is approximate.
Pathological changes visible on ultrasound of the abdomen:
kidney stones,
kidney tumors (the need to supplement the diagnosis with other imaging tests),
bladder tumors (advanced stages),
prostate hypertrophy in men.
Ultrasound of the adrenal glands
The adrenal glands are glands located above the upper poles of the kidneys. Their role is to produce hormones. Ultrasound examination of the adrenal gland can reveal tumors, some of which may show hormonal activity and be the cause of an overactive adrenal cortex (e.g. Cushing's disease). Other tumors may be malignant lesions. Due to the multitude of histopathological units, each solid lesion detected in ultrasound should undergo additional diagnostics (computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging).
Ultrasound of the uterus and appendages through the abdominal wall
During a general ultrasound examination of the abdominal cavity, the contours of the uterus and appendages are assessed for the presence of major pathologies. In order to precisely assess the reproductive system in a woman, a gynecological transvaginal ultrasound is performed.
Other abnormalities that can be detected by ultrasound of the abdomen
aortic aneurysm,
the presence of fluid in the peritoneal cavity,
enlargement of the abdominal lymph nodes,
advanced large colorectal tumors (not in all patients).
What cannot be assessed by a doctor during an ultrasound of the abdomen
Ultrasound examination cannot visualize the lumen of the gastrointestinal tract, therefore it is not possible to accurately assess changes in the gastric or intestinal mucosa. The diagnosis of gastric ulcer requires gastroscopy, and the suspicion of changes in the intestines (ulcerative colitis, colorectal cancer) requires a colonoscopy.
We also perform ultrasound examinations of the abdominal cavity in infants and young children.
Frequently asked questions about the ultrasound of the abdominal cavity:what can it show?
The content of the digestive tract may obscure the picture of organs, so it is advisable to refrain from eating for about 6 hours before the examination. In addition, in the period of 2 days before the examination, heavy and flatulent meals should be avoided. The day before the abdominal ultrasound examination, it is recommended to take an intestinal gas reducing agent (eg Espumisan), because their excess may also make diagnostics difficult.
1-2 hours before the abdominal ultrasound examination, drink one liter of still water (4 glasses). You should come for an ultrasound scan with a full bladder - it makes it easier for the doctor to assess the urinary system and the organs in the pelvis. It is forbidden to drink tea or coffee, so as not to stimulate the intestinal peristalsis.
Abdominal ultrasound is a non-invasive and completely safe method of imaging. If necessary, the ultrasound examination can be repeated any number of times. It is worth remembering that ultrasound does not detect all pathologies responsible for abdominal pain. When ultrasound is not sufficient to make a diagnosis, the doctor orders additional tests (gastroscopy, colonoscopy, magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography).
During the ultrasound examination of the abdomen, it is not possible to assess the lumen and mucosa of the gastrointestinal tract. Under certain conditions, ultrasound may reveal appendicitis and the presence of large tumor masses indicating advanced stage colorectal cancer. The doctor will order a colonoscopy to evaluate the changes in the intestines more accurately.
