Abdominal Ultrasound

Ultrasound is used to help diagnose a variety of conditions, such as:

• Abdominal pain or distention.

• Abnormal liver function.

• Enlarged abdominal organ.

• Stones in the gallbladder or kidney.

• A aneurysm in the aorta

Abdominal Ultrasound is performed to evaluate:

KIDNEY:

One of the two organs that excrete the urine. The kidneys are bean-shaped organs (about 11 cm long, 5 cm wide, and 3 cm thick) lying on either side of the backbone

LIVER :

The largest gland of the body, lying beneath the diaphragm; it is of irregular shape and weighs from 1 to 2 kg (2 to 4 pounds). It secretes the bile and is also of great importance in both carbohydrate and protein metabolism.

GALL-BLADDER:

Pear-shaped receptacle on the inferior surface of the liver, in a hollow between the right lobe and the quadrate lobe; it serves as a storage reservoir for bile.

PANCREAS:

A gland that produces several hormones and secretes digestive enzymes, or proteins that acts as a catalyst for the breakdown of food, through the pancreatic duct that connects the gland to the intestine. The pancreas also secretes hormones into the blood to regulate sugar metabolism of the body.

SPLEEN:

A large vascular lymphatic organ lying in the upper part of the abdominal cavity on the left side, between the stomach and diaphragm. It is a blood-forming organ in early life and later a storage organ for red corpuscles and platelets; because of the large number of macrophages, it also acts as a blood filter.

ABDOMINAL AORTA:

Part of the aorta, the largest artery in the body; it supplies oxygenated blood to the abdominal and pelvic organs and legs.