Fluid-filled bowel mimicking hemoperitoneum: a false-positive finding during sonographic evaluation for trauma

Abstract

This case report describes a patient who presented to the Emergency Department (ED) after a high-speed motor vehicle crash (MVC), whose initial ultrasound examination was interpreted as being positive for fluid in Morison’s pouch. Subsequent ultrasound examinations and computed tomography scans further delineated this finding to be fluid-filled bowel juxtaposed between the liver and right kidney. With greater implementation of ED ultrasound, it is important to identify entities that cause false-positive and false-negative examinations.