High-resolution ultrasound in assessment of the gastrointestinal tract

Ultrasound (US) is frequently the first investigation performed in patients presenting with a variety of abdominal symptoms, and there is a growing appreciation of its value in a wide range of gastrointestinal (GI) disorders. The advantages of US are that it is quick, safe, readily available, noninvasive, and avoids ionizing radiation. It is now the primary imaging investigation when conditions such as appendicitis and hypertrophic pyloric stenosis (HPS) are suspected. For the diligent examiner careful assessment of the bowel can be rewarding either by diagnosing bowel pathology or identifying possible pathology and determining the most appropriate sequence of diagnostic investigations. Its real time capabilities are of particular usefulness in abdominal conditions; clinical correlation is instant and features such as peristalsis and bowel compressibility can be readily assessed. This review describes and illustrates the current role of high-resolution transabdominal US in the detection of GI pathology with discussion on some of the applications of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) as they relate to this topic.