title: Ultrasound of the equine acute abdomen.
abstract: Abdominal ultrasound is an invaluable aid in the evaluation of the colic patient but can be heavily influenced by patient preparation, individual horse-to-horse variation, availability of ultrasound transducers, technique, experience level of the examiner, and complexity of the abdominal disorder. This article describes ultrasonographic anatomy of the normal equine abdomen and technique for examination of the equine colic patient. Common abnormalities of the stomach, small intestine, large intestine, and peritoneal cavity are described along with other abnormalities that may be discovered with abdominal ultrasonography of the colic patient, such as masses, urolithiasis, cholelithiasis, and thoracic or cardiac lesions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences, University of California, 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA. Electronic address: sslejeune@ucdavis.edu.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: le Jeune
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences, University of California, 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
authors.forename: Mary Beth
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Whitcomb
mesh_terms: D000006:Abdomen, Acute / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000662:veterinary*; D000818:Animals; D003085:Colic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000662:veterinary*; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006736:Horses; D008297:Male; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000662:veterinary*
keywords: Acute abdomen; Colic; Ultrasound