Foreword

Abstract

The development of ultrasound as a new imaging modality occured during the second part of the last century, and at the same time percutaneous puncture techniques also became increasingly important. Previously fluid collections, e. g. pleural effusions or ascites and even amniotic fluid (amniocentesis), were localized and punctured based on anatomical landmarks and percussion. Percutaneous liver biopsy developed by Menghini in 1958 [1] had become established as a standard method. However, percutaneous biopsy of the kidneys continued to be a problem because radiological pyelography, the only existing imaging modality to show the kidneys, was dependent on renal function and did not demonstrate the third plane, the distance between the skin and the lower pole of the kidneys. Therefore, Berlyne [2] used the new ultrasonography technique as early as 1961 to measure the distance between the surface of the skin and the lower pole for safer puncture of the kidneys. Furthermore, the new two-dimensional imaging technique was used for puncturing fluid collections that were difficult to localize by percussion or anatomical landmarks alone. A further advantage of this new imaging modality was the reliable differentiation between fluid and solid tissue using A-mode, additionally in the early years and then later using real-time/grayscale technique directly. As a result, ultrasound enabled less risky puncturing of amniotic fluid as reported by Kratochwil in 1969 [3] and lowered the risks of pericardiocentesis as introduced by Goldberg in 1973 [4].