How to perform gastrointestinal ultrasound: Anatomy and normal findings

Abstract

Gastrointestinal ultrasound is a practical, safe, cheap and reproducible diagnostic tool in inflammatory bowel disease gaining global prominence amongst clinicians. Understanding the embryological processes of the intestinal tract assists in the interpretation of abnormal sonographic findings. In general terms, the examination principally comprises interrogation of the colon, mesentery and small intestine using both low-frequency and high-frequency probes. Interpretation of findings on GIUS includes assessment of bowel wall thickness, symmetry of this thickness, evidence of transmural changes, assessment of vascularity using Doppler imaging and assessment of other specific features including lymph nodes, mesentery and luminal motility. In addition to B-mode imaging, transperineal ultrasonography, elastography and contrast-enhanced ultrasonography are useful adjuncts. This supplement expands upon these features in more depth.

EFSUMB Gastrointestinal Ultrasound (GIUS) Task Force Group: Celiac sprue and other rare gastrointestinal diseases ultrasound features

“…Transabdominal gastrointestinal ultrasound (GIUS) is the imaging method of choice for many indications [1][2][3], which is represented also in the guidelines [4][5][6][7][8][9]. The ultrasonographic examination allows a unique combination of focused medical history, clinical examination and imaging to make a diagnosis ("point of care ultrasound") [10][11][12][13]. The value of GIUS for diagnosis, differential diagnosis, and follow-up in celiac sprue and other rare and miscellaneous diseases of the gastrointestinal tract is much less known and largely dependent on the individual clinical experience of the examiner.…”

Ultrasonography in Gastroenterology: The Need for Training

“…There is a considerable amount of evidence to support the use of US by gastroenterologists [2, 4, 21, 44, 60], and an increasing number of statements and guidelines support this practice [2, 38, 43, 56-59, 62, 63, 66-69, 71, 75]. In spite of the recommendations in the Blue Book of the ESBGH regarding training in US, there is a heterogeneous distribution of the utilisation of this basic skill by European gastroenterologists.…”

Editorial on the Current Role of Ultrasound

“…US can be applied in a traditional fashion, for examination of the abdomen by gastroenterologists and surgeons [10][11][12][13][14], the pelvis by gynaecologists [15,16], the heart by cardiologists [17], the mediastinum and lung by pneumologists, and other anatomical regions examined by their respective specialists. The role of radiology depends on historical issues and traditions [18][19][20][21].…”

“…WFUMB is currently reporting on the use of US student medical education and the papers will be published soon. After learning basic concepts and skills, physicians in training should refine their US examination skills by adhering to curricula such as those proposed by EFSUMB [5,6,60] and WFUMB [10,11]. As physicians specialize in certain areas, for example, cardiology, gastroenterology and obstetrics, they can hone their procedural and interpretive skills by focusing on ultrasound exams in the areas of their clinical expertise.…”