Development of a Standardized Transabdominal Ultrasonography Protocol for Routine Pancreatic Examination

Background Transabdominal ultrasonography remains a first-line imaging modality for pancreatic evaluation, yet its diagnostic performance is limited by operator dependency, inconsistent scanning techniques, and variable documentation standards. The absence of universally adopted pancreas-specific protocols compromises examination reproducibility and quality assurance. Objective To develop and validate a standardized transabdominal ultrasonography protocol for routine pancreatic examination, focusing on scanning methodology, documentation criteria, and visualization quality. Methods A structured pancreatic ultrasonography protocol was developed based on anatomical landmarks, standardized scanning planes, patient positioning, and predefined documentation requirements. Retrospective validation compared examinations performed before and after protocol implementation, assessing pancreatic segment visualization, examination duration, and documentation completeness. Inter-observer agreement was evaluated across operators with varying levels of experience. Results Protocol-adherent examinations demonstrated significantly improved visualization of pancreatic head, body, and tail segments, particularly through optimized acoustic window utilization and multi-positional scanning. Documentation completeness increased markedly, with consistent reporting of pancreatic duct diameter and standardized measurements. Examination duration increased minimally, without clinical workflow disruption. Inter-observer reliability improved substantially for pancreatic visualization grading, with the greatest benefit observed among less experienced operators. Conclusion The proposed standardized protocol enhances image quality, reproducibility, and reporting consistency in transabdominal pancreatic ultrasonography. Its adoption represents a practical, low-cost strategy for quality improvement and harmonization of routine pancreatic imaging.