Ecografía intestinal: técnicas de examen, patrones normales y patológicos / Bowel ultrasound: examination techniques and normal and pathologic patterns

El estudio del tubo digestivo con ecografía está experimentando en los últimos años un auge debido a las cualidades que tiene frente a otras técnicas como la endoscopia, la entero-TC o la entero-RM. Su capacidad de valorar la pared intestinal y elementos que la rodean sin necesidad de administración de contraste y la posibilidad de evaluar la elasticidad y peristaltismo de estas estructuras están generando un progresivo interés en su utilización. En este artículo se describen la técnica ecográfica y sus modalidades, así como las características normales de la pared intestinal y de las estructuras contiguas. Se revisan, con un enfoque práctico, los principales hallazgos patológicos y su interpretación, y los diferentes patrones de presentación, que nos aportarán una aproximación útil para orientar el diagnóstico

Ultrasound is being increasingly used to study the digestive tract because it has certain advantages over other techniques such as endoscopy, CT enterography, and MR enterography. Ultrasound can be used to evaluate the bowel wall and the elements that surround it without the need for contrast agents; its ability to evaluate the elasticity and peristalsis of these structures is increasing interest in its use. This article describes the techniques and modalities of bowel ultrasound, as well as the normal features of the bowel wall and contiguous structures. It uses a practical approach to review the main pathological findings and their interpretation, and the different patterns of presentation, which will help orient the diagnosis

Bowel ultrasound: examination techniques and normal and pathologic patterns. / Ecografía intestinal: técnicas de examen, patrones normales y patológicos.

Ultrasound is being increasingly used to study the digestive tract because it has certain advantages over other techniques such as endoscopy, CT enterography, and MR enterography. Ultrasound can be used to evaluate the bowel wall and the elements that surround it without the need for contrast agents; its ability to evaluate the elasticity and peristalsis of these structures is increasing interest in its use. This article describes the techniques and modalities of bowel ultrasound, as well as the normal features of the bowel wall and contiguous structures. It uses a practical approach to review the main pathological findings and their interpretation, and the different patterns of presentation, which will help orient the diagnosis.