title: Accuracy of ultrasound in the diagnosis of upper abdominal pain.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Upper abdominal pain is one of the commonest complaints in patients seeking medical advice, and in majority of the cases the aetiology is simple and treatable. Ultrasonography is hazard free and cost effective investigation. This study was designed to evaluate the accuracy of ultrasound in the diagnosis of upper abdominal pain.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ultrasonography using 3.5 MHz convex transducer was performed in patients presenting with upper abdominal pain.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Five hundred consecutive cases with upper abdominal pain underwent ultrasonic examination. Positive findings were there in 248 patients while 252 had normal studies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study showed that ultrasound is an easy and quick investigation in the diagnosis of upper abdominal pain with slightly less than 50% accuracy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Ayub Medical College, Abbottabad. sabina@ayubmed.edu.pk
authors.forename: Sabina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Imran
mesh_terms: D000006:Abdomen, Acute / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004066:Digestive System Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D010147:Pain Measurement; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler / Q000379:methods*