Abdominal and urinary tract ultrasound in adolescents

A non-invasive, painless ultrasound examination without exposure to ionizing radiation, used to assess the abdominal organs and urinary system in adolescents. The examination allows assessment of the structure, size and sonographic appearance of the organs being examined and helps identify possible abnormalities requiring further medical evaluation.

Indications

• abdominal or lower back pain;
• nausea, vomiting or recurrent digestive disturbances;
• changes in urination;
• pain or discomfort in the lower back;
• abnormal blood or urine test results;
• suspected disorders of the liver, gallbladder, pancreas, spleen or kidneys;
• monitoring of previously diagnosed conditions;
• preventive examination, as recommended by a physician.

Procedure

The patient lies on the examination table, usually on their back, and may be asked to change position when necessary to obtain optimal visualization of the organs. The physician applies ultrasound gel to the abdominal skin and moves the transducer over the area being examined to obtain images. Evaluation of the urinary system may require examination with a comfortably full bladder. The examination is painless and usually takes approximately 15–30 minutes, depending on the purpose of the examination.

Limitations

The quality of the examination may be affected by intestinal gas, stomach and bowel contents, or individual anatomical characteristics. Ultrasound does not allow detailed assessment of all structures and does not replace other imaging methods or laboratory tests when these are clinically indicated.

Contraindications

There are no absolute contraindications to ultrasound examination. The examination can be performed in special clinical situations at the physician’s recommendation, depending on the patient’s condition.