[Clinical indications for abdominal sonography].

The clinical indications for ultrasonography in diseases of the abdominal organs are systematically presented and discussed. The use of the gray-scale technique leads to an appreciable improvement in diagnostic potential, due in particular to the demonstration of small vascular structures. Consistency of tissue structures, the topographic-anatomical relationship between organs, and localization of space-occupying lesions are readily determined by sonography with a minimum of discomfort and stress for the patient.