title: Abdominal ultrasonography findings in patients with spinal cord injury in Korea.
abstract: This is a retrospective study of 500 patients with spinal cord injury who underwent abdominal ultrasonography as a routine screening test from 2000 to 2003. We analyzed the results according to the different abdominal organ systems. Among the 500 cases, 226 (45.2%) showed abnormal findings. 98 cases of abnormal findings in the liver included 75 of fatty liver and 13 of mass. The 88 cases of abnormal findings in the bladder included 56 of bladder wall thickening, 14 of cystitis and 10 of urinary stone. The 35 cases of abnormal findings in the kidney included 19 of renal cyst and 6 of pelvic dilatation. The 35 cases with gallbladder abnormalities included 19 with gallstones and 11 with biliary sludge. Excluding the cases with bladder wall thickening, there were still 170 cases with abnormal ultrasonographic findings. Abdominal sonography seems to be a useful tool in detecting hidden intraabdominal pathologies in patients with spinal cord injury.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine and Research Institute of Rehabilitation, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Ji Cheol
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Chang-il
authors.initials: CI
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Sang Hyun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Eun Joo
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Eun Joo
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Dong Wook
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Rha
mesh_terms: D000005:Abdomen / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005704:Gallbladder / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008099:Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014463:Ultrasonography; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging