title: Diagnosis of perforated gastric ulcers by ultrasound.
abstract: Patients with a perforation of the gastrointestinal tract need fast confirmation of diagnosis and early treatment to improve outcome. Plain abdominal x-ray does not always prove the perforation particularly at early stage. We report about a 62 year-old woman complaining of consistent abdominal pain with sudden onset. Ultrasound was taken as first diagnostic measure, revealing a perforation. The leakage was located in the stomach. Radiography confirmed the pneumoperitoneum without indicating the perforated location. During operation the perforated gastric ulcer was found and sutured. This case report points out the reliability of ultrasound in diagnosing a pneumoperitoneum. Additionally it provides a summary of ultrasound signs seen in perforated gastric and duodenal ulcers and a review of literature.
authors.affiliation: Städtisches Klinikum "St. Georg" Leipzig, 2. Klinik für Innere Medizin, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wallstabe
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Veitt
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Körner
mesh_terms: D000006:Abdomen, Acute / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010439:Peptic Ulcer Perforation / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D011027:Pneumoperitoneum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013276:Stomach Ulcer / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D014463:Ultrasonography