Importance of Distending Stomach With Fluid for Ultrasound Detection of Focal Lesion in the Elongated Left Lobe of the Liver.

Objectives The purpose of this study was to evaluate distending the stomach with water for ultrasound detection of focal lesions in the elongated left lobe of the liver. Methods A total of 13,277 patients undergoing liver ultrasound were evaluated for the presence of an elongated left lobe of the liver and a focal lesion. Patients with an elongated left lobe of the liver had their stomach distended with oral water for further evaluation of a focal lesion. A portion of the patients had computed tomography (CT) examinations, which were compared with the ultrasound studies. Results A total of 643 patients were found with elongated left lobe of the liver by ultrasound; of them, 451 underwent CT, 259 out of the 451 patients meeting the inclusion criteria underwent second ultrasound and final analysis, and 16 of these 259 patients had focal lesion in the elongated left lobe of the liver on CT study. The sonographic visualization of the liver and spleen at the same scan view before and after distending the stomach were 7% (7 of 100) and 100% (100 of 100), respectively ( P < .001). The sonographic detection of the lesions before and after distending the stomach were zero and 87.5%, respectively ( P < .001). Conclusions Distending the stomach with water can greatly increase ultrasound detection of focal lesions in the elongated left lobe of the liver. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]