Ultrasound and CT of peritoneal recesses and ligaments: a pictorial essay.

US and CT permit one to visualize peritoneal recesses and ligaments. Ultrasonic analysis relies mostly on the liquid contrast of peritoneal effusions. CT demonstrates more readily the fatty and vascular contents of ligaments. Thus ultrasound displays essentially the thin part of ligaments, which CT is unable to show due to kinetic blur, whereas CT demonstrates readily the thick fatty parts of those peritoneal elements.