Echography or Ultrasonography

Abdominal ultrasound can visualize intra-abdominal structures


What is Abdominal Echography ?

The echography is a non-invasive and painless medical imaging technique, which allows to visualize the organs of the abdomen. Its principle is to apply a probe against the skin. This probe emits high-frequency sound waves (ultrasound) that pass through the tissues that are returned to it in the form of an echo.

This signal will be analyzed by a computer system which retransmits an image on a video screen.

Abdominal echography is the ideal exam for exploring the abdominal viscera as: the liver, gallbladder and biliary tract, kidneys, spleen, pancreas and abdominal aorta.

Why do an abdominal echography ?

It should be noted that an abdominal echography provides more detailed information on the abdominal organs than a standard radiography.

Depending on the organ being examined, echography can provide very useful information on a possible pathology.

The following is a non-exhaustive list of the different organs that can be explored and the different diseases that may be present:

  • The vesicle and the biliary duct: calculations, dilatation, tumors, abscesses, inflammation of the wall;
  • Liver: size and homogeneity (cirrhosis, steatosis), cysts, abscesses, tumors, metastases of non-hepatic cancers;
  • The spleen: size, swelling, suspicion of rupture;
  • The pancreas: cyst, pancreatitis on biliary calculus, cancer;
  • Kidneys: calculations, pelvic or ureter dilatation, tumors, atrophy, malposition, cysts, malformations;
  • The bladder;
  • Female genitalia: Uterus, ovaries, horns ...
  • The appendix;
  • The small intestine;
  • The large intestine;