Review

A review of the roles of clinical ultrasound technology in blunt abdominal trauma

Ugwu, A.C.^1* and Erondu O .F.²

¹Radiology Department Federal Medical Centre, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria.

²Department of Physics, Rivers state University of Science and Technology, Nkpolu, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: tonybullng@yahoo.ca.

Accepted 23 September, 2008

Advances in gray scale imaging, contrast- enhanced harmonic imaging and Doppler technologies have improved the effectiveness of ultrasonography in the evaluation of blunt abdominal trauma (BAT). The use of ultrasonography in the evaluation of the abdomen benefits from an understanding of the abdominal anatomy and familiarity with the acoustic signatures of lesions encountered in parenchymal injuries and the echogenicity of hemoperitoneun at different stages of transition. 

Key words: Ultrasonography, blunt abdominal trauma, contrast agent, free fluid.