title: [Acute abdomen: consider also the thorax].
abstract: Three patients, 2 men aged 22 and 62 years en 1 woman aged 49, presented with symptoms of an acute abdomen. While infiltrative signs were described on radiodiagnostic images two patients underwent laparotomies. In all three subsequently the diagnosis of pneumonia was established and the patients made full recovery after antibiotic therapy. When a patient presents with symptoms of an acute abdomen, the possibility of an existing pneumonia should always be borne in mind. It is therefore recommended to make a chest radiograph with frontal and lateral view. In the presence of infiltrative signs the existence of pneumonia as the cause of abdominal symptoms should be considered in order to avoid unnecessary laparotomy.
authors.affiliation: Medisch Centrum Alkmaar, afd. Longziekten, Alkmaar.
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: van der Eerden
authors.forename: H E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Codrington
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: de Graaff
authors.forename: W G
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Boersma
mesh_terms: D000006:Abdomen, Acute / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D001064:Appendicitis / Q000175:diagnosis; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D005260:Female; D005756:Gastritis / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D007813:Laparotomy; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011001:Pleuropneumonia / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy; D011018:Pneumonia, Pneumococcal / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy; D011859:Radiography; D013896:Thoracic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D019564:Unnecessary Procedures