Summary
This journal article discusses the role of emergency ultrasonography in diagnosing acute abdominal conditions. Common indications for using ultrasound in such cases include assessing for conditions like acute abdominal aneurysm, acute cholecystitis, hydronephrosis, and free intra-abdominal fluid in trauma or suspected vascular and ectopic pregnancy ruptures.
Point-of-care sonographic imaging often focuses on identifying fluid and edema, as they are significant findings that improve imaging. However, this article highlights that sonographic detection of intra-abdominal air is often seen as a hindrance in ultrasound imaging, in contrast to other imaging modalities like computed tomography and conventional radiography, where air is considered diagnostically useful. The article aims to counter this bias against the air in ultrasound and presents evidence from published studies suggesting that abnormal air patterns can be used with high precision to diagnose pneumoperitoneum.
It advocates that practitioners should familiarize themselves with these findings and techniques to gain the necessary experience to confidently diagnose acute abdominal conditions using ultrasound. The article discusses four groups of abnormal air patterns found in the abdomen and retroperitoneum, along with the scanning techniques required to detect them. The focus is on the use of ultrasound for diagnosing pneumoperitoneum, and it provides a suggested scanning approach in the emergency setting.
