The gastrointestinal tract, also called the digestive tract or GI tract, is the continuous tube extending from the mouth through the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and large intestine to the anus. While the GI tract has traditionally been considered challenging to evaluate with ultrasound due to gas interference, ultrasound has proven valuable in several specific applications. These include evaluating appendicitis, pyloric stenosis, intussusception, and bowel wall thickening in inflammatory bowel disease. On ultrasound, the normal bowel wall shows a characteristic five-layer pattern corresponding to the histological layers, and recognition of this pattern and its disruption helps diagnose various gastrointestinal conditions.
Sonography Term