Ultrasound signs of normal gastrointestinal tract
Last reviewed: 19.10.2021
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In the ultrasound study, you can recognize the various anatomical sections of the gastrointestinal tract.
Esophagus
The abdominal part of the esophagus can be visualized in the longitudinal section below the diaphragm and in front of the aorta. In the transverse sections, the esophagus is located behind the left lobe of the liver.
Stomach
In the absence of filling, the bottom of the stomach is easily determined as a star structure. The body of the stomach is visualized on transverse sections immediately anterior to the pancreas. If you doubt. Then give the patient 1 or 2 cups of water to stretch the stomach cavity.
Thick and small intestine
The echographic pattern of the intestine changes significantly depending on the degree of filling, the amount of fluid, fecal masses and gas. With ultrasound, normal peristalsis can be determined. If the bowel is filled with fluid, then the characteristic moving echostructures will be determined in it. Peristalsis is usually defined in the small intestine, occasionally in the large intestine.
When echography, the intestinal wall is defined as a two-layer structure, with the outer hypoechogenic layer (muscle tissue) and the internal hyperechoic layer (mucous membrane coming into contact with the gas in the intestine). The muscular layer, depending on which part of the intestine is visualized and to what extent it is filled, rarely exceeds 3 mm in thickness.
The gas in the intestine is represented by hyperechoic structures and can give reverberation artifacts and a posterior acoustic shadow, while the fluid in the gut is anechogenous or has a certain internal structure as a result of the presence of fecal matter.
Normal fluid movements in the intestines due to respiration should be distinguished from peristaltic.