Abstract
BACKGROUND: Abdominal ultrasound imaging is a standard diagnostic tool used in clinical practice. Understanding the patterns of sonographic findings in specific population demographics can lead to better clinical decisions and improved patient management. This study will evaluate the prevalent abdominal ultrasound scan findings and explore their demographic patterns based on age and sex characteristics at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the abdominal ultrasound findings and determine the relationship of these findings with the age and sex of patients. METHODS: A hospital-based retrospective study analyzed data from 681 patients who underwent abdominal ultrasound scans at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital using Epi-Info 7.1.4. RESULTS: The 681 participants' age distribution peaked in the 30-39 years category (24.7%). The sample included 48.6% males and 51.4% females. The most common ultrasound findings by category were hepatic disorders (n=173, 25.4%) and urogenital disorders (n=143, 21.0%). There were no significant differences in ultrasound findings across genders (p-values >0.05). Mean ages varied across categories, but no statistically significant age-related differences were detected (p-value>0.05). CONCLUSION: The study gave insights into the demographic patterns of abdominal ultrasound findings at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital. Notably, there were high rates of hepatic and urogenital disorders. These findings will act as a guide for health professionals to understand common ultrasound findings in the abdomen.