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Ultrasonic diagnosis of abdominal disease

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Summary

As currently used, ultrasonic diagnostic technics employ two types of presentation: the A-scope, or amplitude-depth, technic, and the B-scope, or compound scan and focused crystal, technic. The A-scope technic appears to have definite application in echoencephalography, echocardiography, bitemporal fetal-cephalography, and detection of tumors in the breast and gallstones in a distended gallbladder. Work on the B-scope technic for ultrasonic diagnoses over the past 12 years has demonstrated the feasibility of obtaining pictorial representation of anatomic and pathologic processes. In the abdomen good pictures have been obtained of the kidney, liver, and splenic areas, and also of fluid-filled structures such as the stomach and bladder. Under good operating conditions, this technic can clearly show such pathologic processes as cysts, abscesses, local infections, tumors, fibrosis, foreign bodies, and accumulations of fluid. At present, it can be particularly useful in precisely localizing a liver lesion for biopsy. It is necessary to acquire greater experience in interpreting pictures and in correlating these findings with those of biopsy, surgery, and autopsy. Certain improvements are discussed which may improve picture detail and equipment operation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. From the Departments of Medicine and Radiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver, Colo.

    Joseph H. Holmes M.D., D.Med. Sc & Douglass H. Howry M.D.

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  1. Joseph H. Holmes M.D., D.Med. Sc
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  2. Douglass H. Howry M.D.
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Additional information

The work described here would not have been possible without the assistance of the engineering group, which included C. R. Cushman, R. Goebel, R. Meyerdirk, G. J. Posakony, and W. Wright, and the technical assistance of R. Miller and I. Walker. This program was supported in part by Grants H2115 and C2423 from the United States Public Health Service.

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Holmes, J.H., Howry, D.H. Ultrasonic diagnosis of abdominal disease. Digest Dis Sci 8, 12–32 (1963). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02233558

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