Ultrasonic evaluation of palpable abdominal masses

Fifty patients presenting an abdominal mass was investigated with ultrasonography as the first examination. In 5 patients no mass was found by ultrasonography and repalpation revealed no abnormal findings. Of the 45 patients with a mass, ultrasound verified the mass in 43 patients (96%) and a correct origin of the mass was found in 41 patients (91%). The exact nature of the lesion was diagnosed in 32 patients (71%). In 2 patients ultrasonography was falsely negative