Abstract
In order to evaluate the sensitivity of ultrasound to intraperitoneal fluid, such as ascites or blood, an experimental study was performed in the pig. Various amounts of fluid were injected into the peritoneal cavity to investigate distribution and diagnostic criteria in different positions. As little as 10 ml of fluid was visualized around the urinary bladder in an upright position. In the supine position, 20 ml could be detected around the bladder and 30 ml around the liver. The injection of at least 60 ml resulted in a pattern of free-floating bowel loops. The sonographic findings of fluid distribution were correlated to radiological studies. As different amounts of fluid produce characteristic sonographic patterns, an approximate estimation of the intraperitoneal fluid volume can be made.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Autio V (1964) The spread of intraperitoneal infection. Studies with roentgen contrast medium. Acta Chir Scand (Suppl 321)
Budin E, Jacobson G (1967) Roentgenographic diagnosis of small amounts of intraperitoneal fluid. AJR 99: 62
Doust BD, Quiroz F, Stewart JM (1977) Ultrasonic distinction of abscesses from other intra-abdominal fluid collections. Radiology 125: 213
Edell SL, Gefter WB (1979) Ultrasonic differentiation of types of ascitic fluid. AJR 133: 111
Eklöf O (1969) Abdominal plain film diagnosis in infants and children. In: Kaufmann HJ (ed) Progr Pediat Radiol, Vol 2. Karger, Basel Year Book, Chicago, p 3
Filly RA (1980) Ultrasonic investigation of imaging characteristics of biological fluids. In: Moss AA, Goldberg HJ (eds) CT, US and x-ray: an integrated approach. Academic Press, London, p 67
Franken EA (1972) Ascites in infants and children. Radiology 102: 393
Frimann-Dahl J (1974) Roentgen examinations in acute abdominal diseases, 3rd ed. Charles C. Thomas, Springfield, Illinois
Gefter WB, Arger PH, Edell SL (1981) Sonographic patterns of ascites. Semin Ultrasound 2: 226
Goldberg BB, Goodman GA, Clearfield HR, (1970) Evaluation of ascites by ultrasound. Radiology 96: 15
Griscom NT, Colodny AH, Rosenberg HK, Fliegel CP, Hardy BE (1977) Diagnostic aspects of neonatal ascites: Report of 27 cases. AJR 128: 961
Hünig R, Kinser J (1973) The diagnosis of ascites by ultrasonic tomography (B-scan). Br J Radiol 46: 325
Jolles H, Coulam CM (1980) CT of ascites: differential diagnosis. AJR 135: 315
Jorulf H (1975) Roentgen diagnosis of intraperitoneal fluid. A physical, anatomic and clinical investigation. Acta Radiol (Suppl 343)
Keeffe EJ, Gagliardi RA, Pfister RC (1967) The roentgenographic evaluation of ascites. AJR 101: 388
McCarthy CF, Wells PNT, Ross FGM, Read AEA (1969) The use of ultrasound in the diagnosis of cystic lesions of the liver and upper abdomen and in the detection of ascites. Gut 10: 904
Meyers MA (1982) Dynamic radiology of the abdomen: Normal and pathologic anatomy. 2nd ed. Springer, New York, Heidelberg, Berlin
Proto AV, Lane EJ, Marangola JP (1976) A new concept of ascitic fluid distribution. AJR 126: 974
Weill F, Le Mouel A, Bihr E, Rohmer P, Zeltner F, Sauget Y (1980) Le diagnostic ultra-sonore des collections intrapéritonéales dans le récessus hépato-rénal. J Radiol 61: 251
Yeh HC, Wolf BS (1977) Ultrasonography in ascites. Radiology 124: 783
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This work is part of the doctoral dissertation of R. Lehnart
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Dinkel, E., Lehnart, R., Tröger, J. et al. Sonographic evidence of intraperitoneal fluid an experimental study and its clinical implications. Pediatr Radiol 14, 299–303 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01601880
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01601880