What kind of abdominal masses can be located by ultrasound?

Ultrasound can be used to locate various types of abdominal masses, including:

1. Liver Masses:

- Benign tumors: Focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH), hepatic adenoma, hemangioma.

- Malignant tumors: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), cholangiocarcinoma, liver metastases.

2. Gallbladder Masses:

- Cholelithiasis (gallstones): Presence of stones within the gallbladder.

- Cholecystitis: Inflammation of the gallbladder, may show thickening of the gallbladder wall.

- Gallbladder Polyps: Small growths projecting into the gallbladder lumen.

3. Pancreatic Masses:

- Pancreatitis: Inflammation of the pancreas, can cause enlargement and changes in echogenicity.

- Pancreatic cysts: Fluid-filled sacs within the pancreas.

- Pancreatic tumors: Benign or malignant neoplasms.

4. Kidney Masses:

- Renal cysts: Fluid-filled sacs within the kidneys.

- Kidney stones (nephrolithiasis): Solid deposits of minerals within the kidneys.

- Renal tumors: Benign or malignant neoplasms, such as renal cell carcinoma.

5. Adrenal Masses:

- Adenoma: Benign tumors of the adrenal gland.

- Pheochromocytoma: Tumors of the adrenal medulla that produce hormones.

- Neuroblastoma: Malignant tumors originating from nerve cells in the adrenal gland.

6. Spleen Masses:

- Splenic cysts: Fluid-filled sacs within the spleen.

- Hemangioma: Benign tumors of blood vessels in the spleen.

- Splenic tumors: Malignant neoplasms, such as lymphoma or metastases.

7. Abdominal Wall Masses:

- Hernias: Protrusion of abdominal contents through weak areas of the abdominal wall.

- Lipomas: Benign fatty tumors.

- Desmoid tumors: Aggressive fibrous tumors that can occur in the abdominal wall.

8. Retroperitoneal Masses:

- Lymph nodes: Enlarged lymph nodes in the retroperitoneal space.

- Tumors of retroperitoneal organs: Such as the aorta, vena cava, or retroperitoneal soft tissue tumors.

- Abscesses: Collections of pus in the retroperitoneal region.

It's important to note that ultrasound findings alone may not be sufficient for a definitive diagnosis and further tests, such as biopsies or additional imaging studies, may be necessary to determine the exact nature of an abdominal mass.