When a child has abdominal pain of unknown origin, ultrasound is often ordered. This painless procedure, that uses high-frequency sound waves to produce pictures of the inside of the body, is used when a further evaluation is needed of internal organs, such as the liver, gallbladder, spleen, pancreas, appendix, intestines, kidneys or bladder. It is especially helpful in diagnosing appendicitis in children. Because ultrasound images are captured in real-time, they can show the structure and movement of the body's internal organs, as well as blood flowing through blood vessels.
A special study called a Doppler ultrasound evaluates blood as it flows through a blood vessel to rule out clots, narrowed vessels, tumors or congenital malformations. It’s helpful in visualizing the body's major arteries and veins in the abdomen, arms, legs and neck. Because ultrasound provides real-time images it may also be used to guide procedures, such as a needle biopsy to get a tissue sample for pathology and for catheter or drainage device placement.