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Table 114.6

The Abdominal Scan in Suspected Ascites (Chapter 24)

Suggests ascites
  • Dark and hypo-echoic appearances in the flanks
  • Loops of gas-filled bowel afloat around the centre/periumbilical region
Points of concern before ascitic tap
  • Hepatomegaly or enlarged gallbladder
  • Splenomegaly
  • Full bladder. A common mistake is to insert a needle into the fluid of the bladder, so ensure several planes of view are evaluated before proceeding in real-time. It is also sensible to ask the patient to void beforehand.
  • Measure the fluid in two planes to get a better idea of depth.