title: [Thoracic radiography is indicated in the examination of acute abdomen! The cause of abdominal symptoms may be found in the thorax].
abstract: Plain x-rays of the abdomen remain an integral feature of the diagnostic work-up in cases of acute abdomen. Chest x-rays, often recommended in the USA, are standard routine at only one third of Swedish radiology units. The article outlines the advantages of including chest x-ray in the abdominal examination: it facilitates the detection of pneumoperitoneum, it yields (pre-operative) cardiopulmonary information, and it may show abdominal pain to be of extra-abdominal aetiology. Regarding the latter point, a study of 555 cases showed the chest x-ray to yield valuable information in 14 cases.
authors.affiliation: Röntgenavdelningen, Centrallasarettet, Växjö.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Storby
mesh_terms: D000006:Abdomen, Acute / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic
vernacular_title: Röntga även lungorna vid akut buköversikt! Orsaken till buksymtomen kan finnas i thorax.