Abstract
With transabdominal ultrasonography (US) it is not possible to thoroughly visualise the small interstinal loops that have a virtual lumen and may contain air; to our knowledge there are no reports of the US appearances of the entire small bowel except for sonographic descriptions of alterated findings, mainly at the level of the terminal i l e u m . , 2 However, as with the stomach and the large b o w e l , , 4 the walls of the small bowel may become visible by US when the lumen is distended with anechoic fluid. We have tested whether oral administration of a solution containing polyethylene glycol, which is not absorbed or f e r m e n t e d , can sufficiently distend the lumen of the small bowel and be used to perform small intestinal contrast ultrasonography (SICUS). Sal 38B and Tosbee equipment with 4 MHz and 5 MHz linear array transducers (Toshiba, Japan) were used to perform US in six healthy non-obese controls (two men, age range 26–47 yr) and in 31 (19 women, age 16–55 yr) consecutive patients with diagnostic suspicion of small bowel pathology. The US contrast isosmolar solution was obtained dissolving PEG 4000 29·2 g, anhydrous sodium sulphate 2·84 g, sodium bicarbonate 0·84 g, sodium chloride 0·72 g, and potassium chloride 0·36 g (Promefarm; Milan, Italy) in 500 mL of water. A US assessment of the entire abdomen was done after an
Published Version
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