[Abdominal ultrasound as a screening method]

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging
• Diagnostic Ultrasound
• Clinical Screening

Background:

• Abdominal ultrasound is frequently used in initial patient evaluations without specific indications.
• The indiscriminate use of abdominal ultrasound for general screening remains controversial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the literature on the value of abdominal ultrasound in clinical screening.
• To assess the utility of abdominal ultrasound in asymptomatic individuals and those with known internal diseases.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of studies evaluating abdominal ultrasound for clinical screening.
• Analysis of findings in asymptomatic versus symptomatic patient groups.

Main Results:

• Primary screening of asymptomatic individuals yields clinically relevant findings in <0.5% of cases, with ~50% showing non-relevant abnormalities, leading to potential cost increases.
• Specific ultrasound screenings in preselected asymptomatic individuals (e.g., abdominal aortic aneurysm detection in those >65 years) can be useful.
• Routine 'secondary screening' ultrasound in patients with known internal diseases reveals relevant unexpected findings in 6-25% of cases, impacting diagnosis and treatment.

Conclusions:

• Indiscriminate abdominal ultrasound screening in asymptomatic individuals is generally not cost-effective due to low yield and high rates of incidental, non-relevant findings.
• Targeted abdominal ultrasound screening in specific high-risk asymptomatic groups (e.g., elderly for aortic aneurysms) is valuable.
• Routine abdominal ultrasound for patients with existing internal diseases is a valuable diagnostic tool, offering significant insights for therapeutic decisions and diagnosis.