title: Multi-detector computed tomography of acute abdomen.
abstract: Acute abdominal pain is one of the most common causes for referrals to the emergency department. The sudden onset of severe abdominal pain characterising the "acute abdomen" requires rapid and accurate identification of a potentially life-threatening abdominal pathology to provide a timely referral to the appropriate physician. While the physical examination and laboratory investigations are often non-specific, computed tomography (CT) has evolved as the first-line imaging modality in patients with an acute abdomen. Because the new multi-detector CT (MDCT) scanner generations provide increased speed, greater volume coverage and thinner slices, the acceptance of CT for abdominal imaging has increased rapidly. The goal of this article is to discuss the role of MDCT in the diagnostic work-up of acute abdominal pain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Radiology, Institute of Diagnostic Radiology, University Hospital of Zurich, Rämistrasse 100, 8091, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Leschka
authors.forename: Hatem
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Alkadhi
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wildermuth
authors.forename: Borut
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Marincek
mesh_terms: D000006:Abdomen, Acute / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D011860:Radiography, Abdominal / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D014159:Transducers