Masses arising from the retroperitoneum are broadly classified into Primary retroperitoneal masses and masses arising from the retroperitoneal organs. Patients usually present with non – specific signs and symptoms and physical examination is also inconclusive in many cases. Ultrasonography (USG), Computed tomography (MDCT) and Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are the common imaging modalities available to evaluate any mass in the abdomen. In this review we evaluate the usefulness of ultrasonography to characterize the retroperitoneal masses because the imaging study has to be appropriate according to the diagnostic need and socioeconomic situation especially in the rural India setup.