Abdomen & retroperitoneum

What you will learn

Interested in scanning the abdomen and retroperitoneum? In this chapter, we focus on the inferior vena cava (with pediatric-specific considerations), liver and biliary structures, the spleen, and the kidneys/bladder. Learn to assess your patients for volume depletion, biliary colic, splenomegaly, and hydronephrosis. Tips and tricks, including ultrasound-assisted urethral catheterization, are discussed.

• The inferior vena cava in “long and short”
• Volume depletion and the IVC/aorta ratio
• Common and uncommon hepatic pathology
• Biliary disease – from sludge to stones
• Renal colic and hydronephrosis
• When to perform urethral catheterization