[Ultrasound "screening examination" of the abdomen: of value or senseless?]

Screening examinations are diagnostic procedures without an individual indication with the purpose to detect a possible disease in an early, asymptomatic stage. Primary sonographic screening of the abdomen in individuals without any signs or symptoms of abdominal disease cannot be recommended. Secondary screening (sonographic examinations of the total abdomen in patients with unspecific symptoms) and to examine the remaining abdominal, pelvic and retroperitoneal organs which are not needed to answer the specific diagnostic question are procedures of doubtful benefit. However, ultrasound is recommended for specific screening programs, i.e. tumour detection or diagnosis of aneurysms, in those subpopulations with a high prevalence for the specific disease.