Abdominal Scanning

Color Atlas of Ultrasound Anatomy

Standard Sectional Planes for Abdominal Scanning

Ultrasound scanning yields a series of sectional images. The basis for interpreting

the examination is the individual sectional image. At first

sight, it is easy to be confused by the variable appearance of an ultrasound

scan of the same region in different patients. This has numerous

causes, including differences in density, body fat, age-related differences,

overlying gas, and artifacts. In most cases the apparent discrepancies

are not based on true anatomical differences. When a systematic

scanning routine is closely followed, series of sectional images can be

obtained in every patient with remarkable consistency. Even if the

images themselves vary, the anatomical relationships that are demonstrated

remain constant.