Abdomen Sonography: Major Arteries and Veins Pathology - Video Lesson

Hey everyone, and welcome back to our abdominal ultrasound series. In today's lesson, we're turning our focus to the retroperitoneum. We'll take a closer look at both the arterial and venous systems, explore key pathologies, and discuss how sonographic findings can correlate with symptoms like abdominal pain, swelling, or lower extremity edema. Let's get started. The retroperitoneum is the anatomical compartment located posterior to the peritoneal cavity and anterior to the posterior abdominal wall. It extends from the diaphragm superiorly to the pelvic brim inferiorly and contains vital structures like the abdominal aorta, inferior vena cava, IVC, kidneys, adrenal glands, lymph nodes, and portions of the pancreas and duodenum. Let's begin with the arterial system, particularly the abdominal aorta. The aorta should appear as