1. Quantitative sensitivity of ultrasound in detecting free intraperitoneal fluid
- Author
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Marsha Heinig, Richard E. Wolfe, Scott W. Branney, Ernest E. Moore, John Eule, Michael Mestek, and Nils P. Albert
- Subjects
Adult ,Male ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Adolescent ,Hemorrhage ,Abdominal Injuries ,Wounds, Nonpenetrating ,Sensitivity and Specificity ,Diagnostic peritoneal lavage ,Intraperitoneal hemorrhage ,Ascites ,medicine ,Ascitic Fluid ,Humans ,Peritoneal Lavage ,Prospective Studies ,Prospective cohort study ,Child ,Aged ,Ultrasonography ,medicine.diagnostic_test ,business.industry ,Ultrasound ,Liter ,Middle Aged ,Effusion ,Medicine ,Regression Analysis ,Female ,Radiology ,medicine.symptom ,Pouch ,business ,Nuclear medicine ,Algorithms ,Specialization - Abstract
The minimum volume of intraperitoneal fluid that is detectable in Morison's pouch with ultrasound in the trauma setting is not well defined. To evaluate this question, we used diagnostic peritoneal lavage (DPL) as a model for intraperitoneal hemorrhage and undertook a blinded prospective study of the sensitivity of ultrasound in detecting intraperitoneal fluid. Participants included attending physicians and residents in emergency medicine, radiology, and surgery. During the infusion of the DPL fluid, participants continuously scanned Morison's pouch until they detected fluid. All participants were blinded to the rate of infusion and the volume infused. One hundred patients were entered into the study. The mean volume of fluid detected was 619 mL. Only 10% of participants detected fluid volumes less than 400 mL and the overall sensitivity at one liter was 97%. We conclude that reliable detection of intraperitoneal fluid in Morison's pouch requires a greater volume than has been previously described.
- Published
- 1995