Intra- and Extraluminal Fluid

Abstract

Intraluminal fluid collections are defined for the purposes of this chapter as fluid within bowel since the gallbladder and urinary tract are dealt with in separate chapters. Intraluminal fluid can be seen in both normal and abnormally dilated loops of bowel. Extraluminal fluid refers to fluid external to any hollow viscera, i.e., bowel, gallbladder, urinary bladder. This fluid can either be free within the abdominal cavity, i.e., ascites, or can be loculated in the intra or extraperitoneal compartment, i.e., hematomas, seromas, abscesses, or lymphoceles. This chapter will discuss applications of real-time ultrasound imaging in the identification and differentiation of intraluminal from extraluminal fluid.