Transabdominal ultrasound is the most common approach to ultrasound imaging, in which the transducer is placed on the skin of the abdomen, using coupling gel to eliminate air between the probe and the skin. Sound waves are transmitted through the abdominal wall to image internal organs and structures. This technique is used to evaluate the liver, gallbladder, pancreas, kidneys, spleen, aorta, bladder, uterus, ovaries, and the developing fetus during pregnancy. Transabdominal scanning may require patient preparation such as fasting (for gallbladder evaluation) or a full bladder (for pelvic imaging, which uses the bladder as an acoustic window). While it provides a broad field of view, image quality can be limited by body habitus, bowel gas, and the distance between the transducer and deep structures.
Sonography Term