title: Sonography as an adjunct to plain film in the evaluation of acute abdominal pain.
abstract: A prospective clinical study was made in order to determine the value of routine sonography in conjunction with plain abdominal films on 150 patients with acute abdominal symptoms. In 23% important diagnostic information was achieved, most commonly in acute biliary disease. Less important pathological entities were revealed in 21% of the patients. In 1% sonography yielded misleading information. The use of sonography should be increased and it might be recommended as an adjunct to plain film evaluation in patients with acute abdomen if plain films do not reveal the reason for abdominal symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Central Hospital of Kanta-Häme, Hämeenlinna, Finland.
authors.forename: I K
authors.initials: IK
authors.lastname: Kuuliala
authors.forename: L K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Niemi
mesh_terms: D000006:Abdomen, Acute / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011859:Radiography; D014463:Ultrasonography