Ultrasound of the liver and abdominal organs. Complex ultrasound of the abdominal cavity (liver, gallbladder, pancreas and spleen) with CFD

What does an abdominal ultrasound show? Currently, the study is the fastest, simplest, most accurate and safest diagnostic method. Behind the front wall of the abdomen is a large space, which is the abdominal cavity. Various organs are located here, and it is their condition that reflects an ultrasound examination:

• stomach;
• pancreas;
• intestines;
• liver;
• spleen;
• bile ducts: extra- and intrahepatic;
• kidneys;
• gallbladder;
• the abdominal section of the aorta, as well as its branches;
• adrenal glands;
• lymphatic vessels and trunks;
• lymph nodes;
• nerve plexuses;
• department of the nervous autonomic system.

What does an abdominal ultrasound show? This is a common question. The abdominal cavity has two layers of peritoneum - a thin membrane. The inflammatory process that occurs in it is called "peritonitis" and poses a threat to human life. The organs are covered by the peritoneum in different ways: some are wrapped in it, while others do not touch at all, but are inside the boundaries outlined by it.

The cavity is conditionally divided into the abdominal cavity itself and the space behind the peritoneum. Organs located both in the retroperitoneal space and in the abdominal cavity are examined on ultrasound. Such a study can establish structural damage, inflammation, reduction or enlargement of an organ, pathological formations, and negative changes in blood supply. Ultrasound will not be able to reveal how a healthy or diseased organ copes with its functional responsibilities.

What does an abdominal ultrasound show?

Thanks to the study, it is possible to establish the cause of the pathology in the following situations:

• abdominal pain or discomfort;
• bitterness in the mouth;
• feeling of a full stomach;
• excessive gas formation;
• intolerance to fatty foods;
• frequent bouts of hiccups;
• feeling of heaviness in the left or right hypochondrium;
• high blood pressure;
• jaundice;
• pain in the lower back;
• weight loss that is not related to diets;
• high temperature without the presence of colds;
• an increase in the size of the abdomen;
• as a control over the effectiveness of therapy for pathological changes affecting the organs of the digestive system;
• as a form of routine examination, including also cholelithiasis and anomalies in the structure of organs.

Examination of the abdominal cavity can also be prescribed to pregnant women in order to monitor the normal development and location of the fetus.

Abdominal ultrasound showing intestines?

Preparing for an abdominal ultrasound

To get the most accurate result, you need to properly prepare for the study. A clear scan can be interfered with by gases accumulating in the intestines. To minimize their number, experts recommend switching to a more sparing diet at least two to three days before the study.

It is advisable not to use all varieties of bread products, do not eat fatty meat. Nuts, legumes, fruits, raw vegetables, various sodas, unleavened milk also cause excessive gas formation, and you should not drink or eat them before scanning. It is strictly forbidden to consume alcoholic beverages. When prescribing a study for the morning, it is better to do it on an empty stomach, and even ordinary water should be abandoned.

In the afternoon of the study, the last meal should be no later than 4-5 hours. It is also not recommended to drink water or any drinks. What shows the ultrasound of the abdominal cavity, you can also check with your doctor.

Before the study, for prevention, a specialist may prescribe the use of laxatives that reduce the formation of gases or improve digestion of drugs. On the day of the ultrasound scan, it is imperative to relieve the intestines. If the laxative does not help to go to the toilet, then in the morning and evening you can apply a cleansing enema. Patients need to come to the examination with their own sheet and napkins.

Will ultrasound of the abdominal cavity show pathologies in the liver?

Liver examination

An organ such as the liver is the most important organ not only in the abdominal cavity, but in principle in the entire human body. It is she who is responsible for the synthesis of the necessary substances, as well as the neutralization of accumulated harmful toxins. When is an ultrasound of the liver recommended?

• If there is a suspicion of neoplasms, abscesses, injuries.
• When examining a patient whose tests reflect abnormalities in the functioning of the liver.
• In the treatment of AIDS, hepatitis, oncological or infectious diseases.
• For the selection of contraceptives or the treatment of diseases of the gynecological sphere.
• With a comprehensive analysis of the state of organs.
• As a preventive examination, which is carried out every year.

Through ultrasound of the liver, a specialist can establish many defects in its condition or functioning. Most often, ultrasound is used to diagnose:

• hepatitis of various origins;
• cirrhosis of the liver;
• different tumors;
• the presence of abscesses and cystic formations;
• hepatic obesity (fat infiltration or steatosis).

Thanks to the study of the liver, you can see other diseases that are less common. Will an abdominal ultrasound show gallbladder disease?

Examination of the gallbladder

Scanning is prescribed to establish the motor functions of the gallbladder, which is located in the abdominal cavity. To determine its motility, the number of contractions of the organ for a certain time interval is measured. Ultrasound makes it possible to determine:

• dyskinesia of any type (hypo- and hypertonicity, sphincter insufficiency, spasms);
• inflammatory pathologies: cholangitis, cholecystitis, cholecystocholangitis. Ultrasound also allows you to determine the specifics of the course of these diseases, their phase, features of inflammation, localization.

It is worth noting that on the day of the study, it is undesirable to neither drink nor eat until the end of the ultrasound.

What shows the ultrasound of the abdominal cavity, it is interesting to many.

Examination of vessels located in the abdominal cavity

The study is based on the fact that it allows you to penetrate into the vessels due to the reflection of sound waves from red blood cells. These waves after certain transformations appear on the monitor in the form of a color image, which allows you to determine the presence or absence of pathologies. Ultrasound, or ultrasound, of the vessels makes it possible to analyze:

• venous portal system;
• mesenteric superior artery;
• iliac arteries;
• celiac trunk;
• vena cava and other vessels.

Thanks to ultrasound, a specialist has the ability to quickly and painlessly determine:

• the speed of blood flow in the vessels located in the abdominal cavity, and the usefulness of the process;
• the presence of blood clots, aneurysms, stenoses, plaques (even at the very beginning of their formation);
• portal hypertension and many other pathological abnormalities.

What does abdominal ultrasound show in women?

The patient is sent for an urgent examination (ultrasound) and in case of suspicion of the following pathologies:

• liver abnormalities;
• gallstone disease;
• cholecystitis;
• anomalies in the development of organs;
• pancreatitis of any form (acute, chronic);
• aortic aneurysm (abdominal);
• tumors;
• to assess the prevalence of neoplasms (if any);
• hepatitis.

The presence of menstruation does not affect the procedure at all. With menstruation, as well as in their absence, this technique shows the same result. During the study, at the request of the doctor, you will need to hold your breath for a short time several times. Diagnostics is carried out in real time, which ensures the most reliable result by the end of the study. Thus, in 20-30 minutes spent in the ultrasound room, you can get complete information about the work of all the internal organs of the patient.

Ultrasound of the pancreas and stomach

Most often, a study of the stomach is prescribed if the patient has an ulcer or gastritis. However, it is advisable to undergo ultrasound with systematically manifested heartburn, constant belching, diarrhea and vomiting.

During the research, tumors of a malignant and benign nature, disorders in the gastric walls, catarrhal inflammations, ulcers, various kinds of oncological diseases, stenoses that can develop in the initial stages with little or no symptoms can be detected. Thanks to the study of the pancreas, pancreatitis can be detected in a timely manner. What else will an abdominal ultrasound show in adults?

Examination of the spleen

It is difficult to overestimate the importance of the spleen in the human body. This organ is located in the abdominal cavity and destroys those blood cells that have been worked out, transforms hemoglobin into hemosiderin and bilirubin, acts as a source of red blood cells and lymphocytes, produces the necessary antibodies, and also serves as an excellent barrier to various foreign particles or bacteria.

The spleen is a rather “gentle” organ, because it feels any changes concerning all the organs located in the abdominal cavity, and immediately suffers from them. That is why ultrasound of the liver is desirable to carry out in the following cases:

• with suspicion of congenital malformations;
• with damage to the peritoneum;
• with oncological and chronic diseases;
• with leukemia;
• with infectious diseases: hepatitis, typhoid, mononucleosis, etc.;
• with suspicion of the formation of neoplasms.

The study of the spleen can be carried out at routine examinations. Ultrasound makes it possible to detect the presence of the spleen in a patient (sometimes people can be born without it), to establish how “correct” its structure, location, stability of fixation is, whether the size is optimal, whether there is a heart attack and other lesions. Some of these indicators allow you to determine the development of other diseases. For example, an enlarged spleen, that is, splenomegaly, may be a sign of:

• jaundice;
• leukopenia;
• infections;
• lymphogranulomatosis;
• diseases of the heart and blood vessels.

This is what an abdominal ultrasound shows in a child.

In some cases, the disease can develop almost imperceptibly to a person. The patient may experience only minor negative symptoms, which are often not given any importance. But even minimal deviations in any organ can become a source of serious illness.

Lymphatic structures on ultrasound imaging

Lymph nodes located behind the peritoneum should normally not be visualized. This means that their dimensions are normal and ultrasound cannot detect them. An increase in these organs indicates either the presence of an infectious disease in the abdominal cavity, or that cancer cells of the hematopoietic system are present here. In addition, this may mean metastases of a tumor of any organ located nearby.

When should an ultrasound of the organs located in the abdominal cavity be performed?

• not too strong, but constant discomfort after eating or prolonged fasting;
• bad breath in the mouth or bitterness;
• sharp or girdle pain;
• burning and heaviness in the hypochondrium;
• suspicion of an increase in the size of any organ located in the peritoneum;
• increased formation of gases in the intestines;
• injuries or bruises of the abdominal cavity;
• diagnosed diseases: pathologies of the digestive system, diabetes mellitus;
• before preparing for surgery.

Finally

What does an abdominal ultrasound show in men? Rarely is an isolated study of a single organ. Firstly, for the reason that all organs are very close. Secondly, their functioning is closely related to each other. Most often, specialists prescribe an ultrasound of the abdominal cavity of a complex nature, during which an analysis is made of the state of the pancreas and stomach, spleen and liver, vessels located in the peritoneum, duodenum and other organs. Thanks to this analysis, it is possible to diagnose pathologies of the abdominal cavity in time, establish the causes of their occurrence, and start a treatment course in a timely manner. As a preventive measure, it is recommended to do it once a year.

We examined what diseases an abdominal ultrasound will show.

Ultrasound is a classic diagnostic method that is used in medicine along with modern methods of detecting diseases: computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. In the program of examination of the abdominal cavity, ultrasound of the liver is performed most often.

On a note: The liver is responsible for the neutralization (neutralization) of toxic substances, is a blood depot, synthesizes proteins and some carbohydrates, regulates the amount of lipids in the blood plasma, destroys hormones that have become unnecessary to the body, and performs many other functions. In addition, the liver is the only organ in the human body capable of self-healing.

General description of the ultrasound procedure

The method of ultrasound diagnostics of the liver is based on the property of ultrasonic waves to be absorbed by body tissues and partially reflected from dense organs.

The liver is a parenchymal organ with a dense structure, therefore, ultrasound, reflected from its boundaries, is converted by the sensor into electrical impulses, which are processed by a special program and displayed on a computer monitor as an image. Image quality depends on the angle of inclination between the ultrasound wave and the border of the organ.

To obtain the most informative picture, the doctor may ask the patient lying on his back to turn on his side, stand up straight or on all fours, sit down or bend over.

To improve the reception and transmission of ultrasonic waves, a water-based gel is applied, which is applied to the skin of the patient's abdomen. In the absence of a gel, the examination is impossible - ultrasound is reflected from the surface of the skin, as from a mirror, without penetrating to the internal organs.

Indications for ultrasound of the liver

Who prescribes liver tests and why

Ultrasound of the liver can be prescribed by a general practitioner, gastroenterologist, hepatologist, oncologist in the following cases:

• the presence of patient complaints, clinical signs or laboratory data that indicate the possibility of liver damage:
  • yellowness of the skin and mucous membranes, whites of the eyes;
  • staining of urine in bright yellow color;
  • elevated blood bilirubin;
  • dull pain, heaviness, discomfort in the right hypochondrium;
  • nausea, vomiting, etc.;
• clarification of the results of other diagnostic methods;
• suspicion of a neoplasm;
• detection of liver metastases and determination of their localization and quantity;
• long-term use of drugs or alcohol abuse;
• diagnosed acute and chronic diseases of the liver and gallbladder;
• abdominal injuries and assessment of their severity;
• Ultrasound control during surgical interventions;
• dispensary examination;
• monitoring the effectiveness of surgical or conservative treatment.

Contraindications

Ultrasound of the liver can be performed at any age and with any concomitant diseases.

The only contraindication for a routine examination is a purulent lesion of the skin of the abdomen. However, in emergency situations (with acute pain in the right hypochondrium), this condition will not be considered a contraindication.

Preparing for an ultrasound of the liver

The presence of gases in the intestines can affect the information content of the examination, as well as cause an incorrect diagnosis. Therefore, before ultrasound of the liver, it is necessary to properly prepare the intestines.

3-5 days before the procedure, products that cause increased gas formation (cabbage, sweet fruits, dairy products, black bread, bakery yeast products, carbonated drinks) should be excluded from the daily diet.

Liver cysts - more common single, from a few millimeters to 10 cm, have a rounded shape, a dense capsule, which contains fluid.

Fatty degeneration - according to ultrasound, an increase in the liver, foci of compaction, fuzzy contours, increased density may be signs of fatty degeneration of liver tissues.

The norm of indicators of ultrasound of the liver

During the diagnosis, the doctor pays special attention to the location, structure and homogeneity of the liver, the condition of the gallbladder and bile ducts, small and large blood vessels in the liver, fixes the size of the organ and its lobes, identifies pathological foci and / or foreign inclusions, assesses their severity and prevalence, etc.

The size of the liver on ultrasound in adults:

• anterior-posterior size of the right lobe - up to 12.5 cm;
• anterior-posterior size of the left lobe - up to 7 cm;
• the transverse size of the organ is from 20 to 22.5 cm.

The lower corner of the liver should have a pointed shape.

The contours are smooth and clear around the entire perimeter, the structure is homogeneous.

All large blood vessels (portal, inferior vena cava, portal veins) should be clearly visible.

Any deviation from these indicators serves as a reason for conducting a differential (comparative) diagnosis of the detected changes using modern research methods or monitoring the patient's condition in dynamics within the time limits established by the attending physician.

Where is an ultrasound of the liver done?

You can undergo an ultrasound examination of the liver in any medical institution, both at your own request and for medical reasons.

However, in any case, the patient must have an official referral for a diagnostic procedure, which can only be issued by a doctor.

Ultrasound of the liver- a research method in which it is possible to study all parts of the liver and its anatomical formations. For this, a combination of possible scanning approaches (sagittal, frontal, oblique, intercostal) is used, allowing a full examination of the liver.

Indications

Indications for ultrasound examination of the liver: determination of the size, shape and structure of the liver; jaundice; signs of portal hypertension; the presence of laboratory data indicating liver damage; suspicion of focal changes in the liver; the presence of neoplasms in the liver, including nodular hyperplasia; the need for intervention; dynamic monitoring of the course of treatment of liver diseases.

Training

Liver scanning does not require special preparation, but since liver examination usually includes diagnostics of the abdominal organs and analysis of the condition of other organs (for example, the gallbladder, bile excretion system), a 6-8-hour fast is strongly recommended before the study. In this case, the gallbladder is stretched, and the diameter of the portal vein is reduced to normal at rest. Since a standard diagnostic liver ultrasound is devoid of any undesirable effects, a liver ultrasound can be performed on a child at any age.

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Price

The cost of ultrasound of the liver in Moscow ranges from 280 to 6200 rubles. The average price is 1260 rubles.

Where to do an ultrasound of the liver?

Our portal contains all the clinics where you can do an ultrasound of the liver in Moscow. Choose a clinic that suits your price and location and make an appointment on our website or by phone.

Ultrasound of the liver and gallbladder

Ultrasound of the liver and gallbladder- This is an ultrasound diagnostic method that allows the doctor to get an idea of ​​the size, position and structure of these organs, the condition of the liver vessels and the contents of the gallbladder. The gallbladder is located on the lower surface of the liver, these organs are functionally connected, therefore, in most cases, an ultrasound of both organs is performed at once. In some cases, it may be necessary to examine only the gallbladder (for example, when re-examination to determine the size of stones when monitoring the development of gallstone disease).

Liver- This is the largest human organ; the mass of the liver is from 1200 to 1500 grams - this is 1/50 of the total mass of our body. In children, the proportion of the total mass attributable to the liver is even greater - up to 1/16. The liver is located just below the diaphragm, in the right upper quadrant of the abdomen, and is covered by the ribs. This is no coincidence: the liver is a vital organ. The liver performs a protective function, removing toxic substances from the bloodstream, both those that have entered the body from the outside, and those resulting from metabolic processes inside the body. The liver produces bile (this is the secretory function of the liver), which helps digest food. During the day, the liver secretes about 1 liter of bile. Bile is released evenly, while the digestive process is uneven. Therefore, a significant part of the bile accumulates in the gallbladder, which is responsible for the concentration of bile and its release into the duodenum exactly when it is needed. Also, the liver is involved in all types of metabolism, provides a normal and constant composition of the blood. More than 500 different functions of the liver can be counted.

At the same time, there are no nerve endings in the liver, so the liver itself cannot hurt. Pain in the liver area occurs when it expands, when the enlarged liver stretches its fibrous membrane (there are nerve endings in the membrane). Thus, many liver diseases in the early stages of development can occur without acute symptoms. This increases the value of ultrasound diagnosis: ultrasound of the liver and gallbladder can identify the problem at an early stage and become the starting point for timely treatment.

When is the need for ultrasound of the liver and gallbladder?

Ultrasound of the liver and gallbladder may be prescribed if the following symptoms appear:

abdominal pain, especially in the right hypochondrium;

yellowness of the skin, oral mucosa, whites of the eyes;

frequent belching, heartburn, nausea, bouts of vomiting;

weight loss;

increased bleeding (frequent nosebleeds, increased blood loss during menstruation, easy bruising).

Also, ultrasound of the liver and gallbladder can be prescribed based on the results of urine and blood tests, with an injury to the abdominal cavity. It is recommended to undergo this study as part of a preventive examination (annually).

What diseases can be diagnosed by ultrasound of the liver and gallbladder?

By using Ultrasound of the liver can be diagnosed:

cirrhosis of the liver;

tumors (benign and malignant);

liver cyst;

abscesses.

Gallbladder ultrasound allows you to identify:

anomalies in the structure of the gallbladder: kinks, septa, diverticula (saccular protrusion of the gallbladder wall), etc.;

stones (gall bladder stones);

cholecystitis (inflammation of the gallbladder);

polyps of the gallbladder;

• biliary dyskinesia.

Normal ultrasound of the liver and gallbladder

Normal liver ultrasound values ​​in adults are:

anterior-posterior size of the right lobe - up to 12.5 cm;

anterior-posterior size of the left lobe - up to 7 cm;

the structure of the liver should be homogeneous, with an average degree of echogenicity, the edges of the organ should be even.

In children, the size of the liver varies with age.

normal values Ultrasound of the gallbladder in adults are:

gallbladder length - 6-10 cm;

width - 3-5 cm;

wall thickness - up to 4 mm.

Preparation for ultrasound of the liver and gallbladder

When the intestines are filled with gas or food, the gallbladder may not be visible. Therefore, the study is carried out strictly on an empty stomach. It is advisable to exclude food that causes increased gas formation a few days before undergoing an ultrasound scan of the liver and gallbladder. Patients suffering from flatulence may require prior bowel cleansing.

Make an ultrasound of the liver and gallbladder in Moscow

You can make an ultrasound of the liver and gallbladder in Moscow at the clinics of JSC Family Doctor. Below you can specify the price for the study, as well as make an appointment with a doctor.

Ultrasound examination (ultrasound) is an informative, non-invasive, practically safe examination of the internal organs of a person.

The main obstacle to ultrasound is the presence of air. Therefore, the main task of preparing for an ultrasound examination is to remove all excess air from the intestines. Preparation for ultrasound is especially important for obese people, since fat is the second most important obstacle to ultrasound.

Training:

Diet:

2-3 days do not consume black bread, milk, carbonated water and drinks, vegetables, fruits, juices, confectionery, alcohol.

In the absence of contraindications, you can also take any enterosorbent (polysorb, polyphepan, "white coal", enterosgel) in a standard dosage, it is also advisable to make a cleansing enema 1.5–2 hours before the study.

The study is carried out strictly on an empty stomach (at least 6, and preferably 12 hours after a meal). For example, the pancreas in a living person is located behind the stomach, and with a full stomach, it is practically invisible on ultrasound.

Ultrasound examination of the abdominal organs.

With the help of ultrasound, it is possible to examine parenchymal organs, as well as hollow organs filled with fluid. In the abdominal cavity, these include liver, gallbladder, pancreas and spleen, bile ducts. kidneys anatomically located in the retroperitoneal space, but usually they are examined together with the above abdominal organs.

The intestines and stomach are hollow organs in which air is almost always present, so it is extremely difficult to examine them. And although very good preparation of the patient for ultrasound allows partially examine the walls of the stomach and colon, these techniques are extremely complex, time-consuming and painful for patients (the colon is first completely emptied using siphon enemas, and then filled with liquid). Therefore, for the study of the intestine, a simpler and more informative method is used - colonoscopy.

Ultrasound is performed with the patient in the supine position. Sometimes the doctor asks the patient to turn on his right or left side, take a deep breath, hold his breath to get a better picture. Some patients with individual characteristics (for example, with a high position of the spleen) have to be examined while sitting or even standing.

During the ultrasound process, dimensions liver, her position, shape, ability to transmit ultrasonic waves, structure, condition of blood vessels and bile ducts, the presence of foreign inclusions(e.g. stones) shape, condition of the walls, size of the gallbladder, its position, the state of bile, the presence of foreign inclusions, structure, shape, position, ability to transmit ultrasonic waves, the state of the pancreatic duct, study condition of the biliary tract (with measurement of their lumen), portal, inferior vena cava and splenic veins. The same scheme is used to evaluate pancreas, spleen, kidney. At the end of the study, the general condition of the upper floor of the abdominal cavity is assessed.

According to the results of the ultrasound, the doctor writes a study protocol with a conclusion.

Important note. We have all seen photographs of internal organs obtained with the help of an ultrasound machine - echograms. They are not the subject of study, they are not commented on. and serve only as an additional, optional appendix to the ultrasound protocol.