Establishment of ultrasound as a diagnostic aid in the referral of patients with abdominal pain in an emergency department – a pilot study

Figures & data

Table 1 Ultrasound focus

Organ	Findings
Gallbladder, AB	Normal, thickening of wall, stones
Liver, AB	Normal, tumor, abscess, cysts
Pancreas, AB	Normal, inflammation, cysts
Abdominal aorta, AB	Normal, aneurysm
Kidneys, AB	Normal, hydronephrosis, cysts
Appendix, AB	Normal, thickening of wall (>3 mm), abscess
Colon diverticula, AB	Normal, thickening of wall (>3 mm), abscess
Bladder, AB/VG	Normal, urinary retention, stones, tumor
Ovaries, VG	Normal, cysts >25 mm
Uterus, VG	Normal, fibromas, thickening of the endometrium, intrauterine pregnancy
Small pelvis, VG	Normal, fluid in the Pouch of Douglas, tumor

Abbreviations: AB, abdominal ultrasound; VG, vaginal ultrasound.

Table 2 Project ultrasound versus control

Patient ID	Project US	CT	Control ultrasound	Operation
4	Nephrolithiasis	Nephrolithiasis	-	-
5	Thickening of appendix	-	-	Appendicitis
8	No positive finding	Nephrolithiasis	-	-
9	No positive finding	Nephrolithiasis		-
11	Cholecystolithiasis	-	-	Cholecystolithiasis
13	Cholecystolithiasis and wall thickening	-	-	Cholecystolithiasis and cholecystitis
15	No positive finding	-	No positive finding	-
17	No positive finding	-	No positive finding	-
18	Periappendiceal abscess	-	-	Periappendiceal abscess
19	No positive finding	-	Cholecystolithiasis	-
21	AAA 8x7 cm and two cysts, right kidney	AAA 7.7 cm and cysts, right kidney	-	-
27	Free fluid in Pouch of Douglas	-	Free fluid in Pouch of Douglas	Normal appendix
31	No positive finding	Nephrolithiasis	-	-
32	No positive finding	-	No positive finding	-
34	No positive finding	Ileus	-	-
35	Cholecystolithiasis	-	Cholecystolithiasis	Cholecystolithiasis
38	No positive finding	-	No positive finding	-
40	No positive finding	No positive finding	-	-
43	No positive finding	-	-	Appendicitis
44	No positive finding	Nephrolithiasis	-	-
45	No positive finding			No positive finding

Abbreviations: ID, identifier; US, ultrasonography; CT, computed tomography; AAA, abdominal aortic aneurysm.