Sonography of the right upper quadrant

Abstract

Sonography of the right upper quadrant generates a wealth of information for the clinician. Color Doppler has added value to the examination. Endoscopic sonography has further expanded the possibilities, especially in pancreatic imaging. The use of contrast agents and intraoperative applications further the applicability of sonography. As resolution improves and transducer development proceeds, with three-dimensional imaging on the hori. zon, ultrasound will continue to be the mainstay of imaging in the right upper quadrant. A cute disease in the abdomen commonly produces symptoms in the right upper quadrant. The right upper quadrant is a common site for ultrasound examinations and, as such, offers the clinician a readily available, noninvasive assessment of the patient with regard to the liver, gallbladder, bile ducts, pancreas, adrenal, and kidney and their major vessels, as well as the anterior abdominal wall and the base of the lung.Ultrasound offers the advantages of cost, portability, and lack of radiation. Its use can provide a definitive answer in the diagnosis of right upper quadrant disease. Vascular imaging has further enhanced the spectrum of applications of ultrasound, and these new horizons are included in this discussion.