title: Imaging of non-traumatic abdominal emergencies in adults.
abstract: Non-traumatic abdominal pathology is one of the most common reasons for consultation in emergency care services. Abdominal pain is the presenting symptom for many diseases, which often requires urgent care. Clinical history and physical examination are rarely sufficient to establish a definite diagnosis and imaging is usually necessary. The choice of imaging modality is oriented by the clinical context and guided by the institutional capabilities, safety and cost-effectiveness of the available tests. Plain radiographs have little or no place in the evaluation of the acute abdomen. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) still has limited availability in many hospitals, thus narrowing the imaging choice to ultrasound (US) and computerized tomography (CT). No scientific evidence exists to allow the imposition of one single strategy. At the present time, the clinician may choose either routine US evaluation complemented by CT in case the US is inconclusive or first-line CT (except for the evaluation of right lower quadrant [RLQ] pain, right upper quadrant [RUQ] pain and in pregnant women where ultrasound is the first-line study).
authors.affiliation: Service de chirurgie vasculaire et générale, hôpital Pellegrin-Tripode, CHU de Bordeaux, place Amélie-Raba-Léon, 33076 Bordeaux cedex, France. Electronic address: vincent.dubuisson@chu-bordeaux.fr.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Dubuisson
authors.affiliation: Unité de chirurgie d'urgence, faculté de médecine Lyon-Est UMR T9405, université de Lyon, université Claude-Bernard Lyon1, centre hospitalier Lyon-Sud, 69495 Pierre-Bénite cedex, France.
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Voïglio
authors.affiliation: Service d'imagerie diagnostique et interventionnelle de l'adulte, hôpital Pellegrin-Tripode, CHU de Bordeaux, place Amélie-Raba-Léon, 33076 Bordeaux cedex, France.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Grenier
authors.affiliation: Service d'imagerie diagnostique et interventionnelle de l'adulte, hôpital Pellegrin-Tripode, CHU de Bordeaux, place Amélie-Raba-Léon, 33076 Bordeaux cedex, France.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Le Bras
authors.affiliation: Service de chirurgie et transplantation abdominale, service des urgences, cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc, UCL, 10, avenue Hippocrate, 1200 Bruxelles, Belgium.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Thoma
authors.affiliation: Service de chirurgie viscérale et digestive, centre hospitalier d'Arcachon, avenue Jean-Hameau, CS 1101, 33164 La Teste-De-Buch cedex, France.
authors.forename: M V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Launay-Savary
mesh_terms: D000006:Abdomen, Acute / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004630:Emergencies; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014463:Ultrasonography
keywords: Acute abdomen; Emergency; Imaging