RT Book, Section
A1 Shaves, Sarah C.
A1 Frankel, Heidi L.
A2 Levitov, Alexander B.
A2 Mayo, Paul H.
A2 Slonim, Anthony D.
SR Print(0)
ID 1125016327
T1 ULTRASOUND EVALUATION OF THE ABDOMEN
T2 Critical Care Ultrasonography, 2e
YR 2015
FD 2015
PB McGraw-Hill Education
PP New York, NY
SN 978-0-07-179352-0
LK accessanesthesiology.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1125016327
RD 2024/04/19
AB The  intensivist  caring  for  the  critically  ill  patient  may  often  consider  abdominal  pathology  when  assessing  for  the  causes  of  the  patient’s  ill  health.  Patient  symptoms,  vital  signs,  and  laboratory  tests  together  with  physical  examination  may  leave  the  clinician  with  a  broad  differential  diagnosis.  Imaging  is  a  frequent  tool  used  to  refine  the  differential  diagnosis.  Plain  film  of  the  abdomen  can  show  obstructive  bowel  gas  pattern  or  free  air,  mass  effect  from  organomegaly  or  ascites,  but  gives  limited  information  about  solid  organs.  Computerized  tomography  (CT)  is  a  better  test  for  retroperitoneum,  bowel,  or  for  solid  organ  injury,  but  is  neither  portable  nor  obtained  as  quickly  as  bedside  ultrasound.  Magnetic  resonance  imaging  generally  is  a  relatively  lengthy  examination,  is  contraindicated  in  patients  with  pacemakers  or  some  other  implantable  devices,  and  is  often  not  readily  available.  Focused  ultrasound,  however,  is  quickly  available  and  can  often  help  to  identify  the  problem  or  exclude  diagnoses  and  assist  with  therapy.