Biliary Ultrasound

Abstract

Abdominal pain is one of the most common ailments among patients within all facets of medicine. Right upper quadrant pain and its associated pathology, such as cholecystitis and cholelithiasis, can occur in patients seeing their primary care physician, seeking care in the emergency department, and in those admitted to the intensive care unit, general floor, or long term care facilities. Ultrasound is an efficient, easy, and economical modality for a provider to evaluate the gallbladder and its surrounding structures for disease processes. This chapter will focus on performing a biliary ultrasound, basic gallbladder and biliary system anatomy, image acquisition, and interpretation of pathology.