Ultrasonic diagnosis of surgical diseases of the anterior abdominal wall.

The use of ultrasound in surgical diseases of the abdominal wall has received scant attention. The criteria for the ulrasonic diagnosis of abdominal wall disease and the usefulness of ultrasound in patients with incisional pain, occult hernias and abdominal wall masses are illustrated by the records of these patients. Ultrasound of the abdominal wall is a safe, rapid and noninvasive test that can be performed in any patient population, including the postoperative patient, without risk of contrast reaction of radiation exposure.