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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Journal of Gastrointestinal and Abdominal Radiology 2020; 3(S 01): S22-S34
DOI: 10.1055/s-0040-1701327
Review Article

Abdominal Radiograph

Abhijit A. Raut
1   Department of Radiology, Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
,
Prashant S. Naphade
2   Department of Radiology, ESIC Hospital, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
,
Sharad Maheshwari
1   Department of Radiology, Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
› Author Affiliations Funding None.
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Abstract

Abdominal radiograph (AR) is often the initial radiological investigation performed while investigating abdominal pain even today. However, in the era of cross-sectional imaging, the role of AR in the diagnosis of acute pain abdomen is being questioned. When AR is used as a screening modality, the diagnostic yield is low. When performed in suspected cases of bowel obstruction or perforation, urinary calculi, or bowel ischemia, AR is often helpful. AR is often the first radiological investigation performed in acute abdomen. Although the role of plain radiograph is limited in the era of cross-sectional imaging, systemic approach and vigilant search for the radiological features on AR may be diagnostic and decide further line of investigation. Various gas patterns of intraluminal and free peritoneal air are helpful in localizing pathology. Different patterns of calcification seen in abdomen, ingested or inserted foreign bodies, and location of medical devices give a clue to diagnosis.

Keywords

abdomen - bowel obstruction - calcification - pneumoperitoneum - radiograph


Publication History

Article published online:
18 May 2020

© 2020. Indian Society of Gastrointestinal and Abdominal Radiology. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial-License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

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