It happens that a patient goes to the doctor, not knowing how to explain where he hurts. The phrase that the stomach constantly (often) hurts is not very informative for a specialist. However, it is necessary to find out the cause of the pain, and the doctor prescribes tests, as well as ultrasound of the spleen and other abdominal organs.
What is an ultrasound?
Ultrasound is a method of obtaining information about the state of an organ without instrumental penetration into the internal cavities of the body. The method is based on the piezoelectric effect associated with exposure to ultrasonic waves. The procedure allows you to display the organ under study, find out its size, examine defects and determine the general condition.
Why do an ultrasound of the spleen
There are quite a few indications for an ultrasound of the spleen. The doctor will definitely prescribe a procedure if an organ injury is suspected and not only. There is a whole group of diseases in which such an examination is carried out regularly. It is carried out with an interval of 6 months oryear.
Ultrasound of the liver and spleen is prescribed regularly for the following pathologies:
- anomalies in the development of organs;
- blood leukemia;
- benign or malignant tumors or suspicion of their presence;
- determining the exact site of metastasis formation;
- cirrhosis;
- hepatitis;
- numerous infectious diseases.
Procedures are performed without complex manipulations, but there are still some medical recommendations for preparing for ultrasound of the liver and spleen.
It is especially worth pointing out that it is impossible to carry out a normal palpation of the spleen in children. Therefore, for any suspicion of injury or pathology, ultrasound is prescribed. This is the only way to confirm or disprove fears. Children are prepared for the procedure in much the same way as adults.
Preparatory measures
If the patient is scheduled for an ultrasound of the spleen, the preparation is as follows:
- It is better to sign up for an ultrasound in the morning. The last meal can be at least 9 hours before the examination. Patients with diabetes can drink some tea and eat some dried bread, as prolonged fasting is contraindicated for them.
- 2 days before the ultrasound, a sparing diet is established. It excludes raw vegetables, dairy products, bread and legumes. Such restrictions are not a whim of a doctor, they allow you to avoid fermentation in the intestines, which, during ultrasound of the spleen, blocks the organ, preventing it from being examined.
- With increased gas formation to a personadditionally appoint the reception of activated charcoal. The dosage is calculated individually. For every 10 kg of body weight, 1 tablet is taken.
It's a bit more difficult to do a qualitative examination in children. Children do not tolerate hunger well, especially infants and toddlers under the age of three. In preparation for the study, a break in feeding the baby should be at least three hours. A child whose age is 2-3 years old must endure 4 hours, and children over three years old - at least 6 hours. The remaining recommendations are followed in the same way as for adults.
When prescribing an ultrasound scan of the spleen, preparation for the examination will be better if you eat fractionally 2 days before the procedure. Portions of food should be minimal, it is better to eat every 4 hours.
Preparing for an ultrasound of the liver is not much different from the above steps. Additional measures are taken only by people with a high degree of obesity. They are advised to do cleansing enemas in the morning and evening before the procedure.
Normal readings, transcript
If the ultrasound form indicates an average echogenicity, an insignificant vascular network at the gates of the organ, the splenic vein is about 0.5 cm in diameter, the shape of the organ is smoothly curved, and its location is the left upper side of the abdominal cavity, then you can calm down. These are normal readings.
During the examination, it is necessary to determine whether the spleen is enlarged. Ultrasound determines the size of the organ in an oblique section - within12 cm, and in the transverse - within 8 cm. The normal thickness of the organ is about four cm.
Determination of the normal size of the children's spleen
If the doctor managed to feel the child's spleen during palpation, it means that the organ is enlarged by almost 2 times. In addition, there is an approximate table linking the height of the child and the size that his spleen should have. Ultrasound adults determine the size visually, and the norm for children should be viewed according to a special table. For example, it shows that with a height of 60-69 cm, the length of the spleen can vary from 47.8 to 61.3 mm. The thickness and width of the organ are also given here. Table step - every 10 cm of growth.
Pathological indicators of the spleen
If a leukemic infiltration is found in a patient, then the examination of the spleen may show the following pathologies:
- transformation of the size of the organ (increase);
- sharp edge of the spleen;
- excessive bulge along the contour;
- density increase;
- inflammation of the lymph nodes in the region of the hilum of the spleen.
If there is an abscess, then the ultrasound will reveal:
- change in echostructure (mixed or hypoechoic);
- appearance of a cyst.
If there is an injury and there is a hematoma or organ rupture, the examination will show:
- change in echostructure (mixed or anechoic);
- wrong, uneven contours;
- appearance of fluid in the peritoneum or under the diaphragm.
Timely examination will allow to putaccurate diagnosis and facilitate the patient's treatment process.
Norm and pathological parameters of liver ultrasound
If the patient underwent an ultrasound of the liver, then the size of the right lobe can be considered normal - up to 12 cm, left - up to 7 cm, bile duct - up to 8 mm. The outer edges of the organ should be even, and its structure should be uniform.
With the help of ultrasound, cirrhosis, hepatitis, metastases, hemangioma, hepatoma, steatosis, cystic neoplasms and other pathologies are detected.
At the same time, the information content of the examination for the doctor is very high. He can draw accurate conclusions based on the data obtained. In many cases, it is impossible to do without an ultrasound of the liver when making or clarifying the diagnosis.
To maintain your he alth, you should take good care of your body and in case of symptoms, consult a doctor. Only a specialist is able to understand the problem. The doctor will prescribe the delivery of tests, it is possible that an ultrasound scan will be required to determine the diagnosis. Do not neglect medical help, as self-medication can harm your he alth.
