Traditionally, data storage for abdominal ultrasound has included a reliance on single frames often supported by short video clips of portions or all of an examination. It is well recognized, however, that while single images might show an aspect of pathology, single images often fail to show adequately the entire picture and also the relationships of the pathology. Today, the acquisition of a volume of ultrasound data may be performed freehand or by a mechanically driven multi-element array transducer which has the ability to acquire a data set by sweeping the array through a pre-determined angle of acquisition during a breath hold. The volumetric data set results from the combination of the information through each plane of the sweep. Multi planar reconstruction (MPR) will then allow for the creation of image planes, which are at unique and often unattainable angles.

Our success with volumetric acquisition includes adherence to protocols for performance for each organ including: a prescan, to guide the placement of the transducer, determine the patient position, and the angle for the acquisition; the volume acquisition itself; a volume review; and an additional scan to include any missed components in the volume data set.
In our own data, the kidneys were the most successful organs studied but all abdominal organs provided good success with excellent multiplanar imaging and the additional benefit of multiple planes of real time data for review. Infrequent failures for the liver related to obesity and cirrhosis in some situations. Current technical limitations relate to the mechanical acquisition with loss of resolution outside of the acquisition plane.