title: Nontraumatic abdominal pain in pregnancy: imaging considerations for a multiorgan system problem.
abstract: Nontraumatic abdominal pain in the pregnant patient can present a clinician with a variety of diagnostic possibilities. The overlap between signs and symptoms expected in normal pregnancy and these many pathologic possibilities does little to help focus the clinician's diagnostic efforts. Fear of ionizing radiation's effects on the fetus has driven efforts to refine medical imaging algorithms in such a way as to attempt to eliminate its use at all cost. In today's world, we are nearly there. In this review the differential diagnosis of nontraumatic abdominal pain in the pregnant patient will be explored. Of note is the recurring theme that much of what can be done today with regard to diagnostic imaging, both in general and with regard to this specific subset of patients, centers on the use of the non-ionizing modalities of ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Tufts School of Medicine, Baystate Medical Center, Springfield, MA 01199, USA. Chiedozie.Mkpolulu@baystatehealth.org
authors.forename: Chiedozie A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Mkpolulu
authors.forename: Peter M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Ghobrial
authors.forename: Tara M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Catanzano
mesh_terms: D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D009102:Multiple Organ Failure / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods*