Plain abdominal radiographs and acute abdominal pain

✍ Scribed by Dr. J. P. M. Campbell; A. A. Gunn

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1988
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 397 KB
• Volume: 75
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0007-1323
• DOI: 10.1002/bjs.1800750616

✦ Synopsis

The records of all ( 5080) patients presenting to a district general hospital with acute abdominal pain over a 4-year period were examined. The contribution of abdominal radiographs to the assessment of patients with suspected appendicitis, urinary tract infection, and non-specific abdominal pain was evaluated, these conditions accounting for 48 per cent of patients with abdominal pain and 32 per cent of those with abdominal radiographs. Any positive information @om these radiographs was less likely to be helpful than incidental or inconsistent (and hence potentially misleading). Because of this high 'false positive' rate it is suggested that i f the initial diagnosis is suspected appendicitis, urinary tract infection, or non-specific abdominal pain, there is little value in the routine use of abdominal radiographs.