title: Evaluating the Patient with Right Upper Quadrant Abdominal Pain.
abstract: Right upper quadrant (RUQ) pain is among the most common complaints in the emergency department. The differential diagnosis is broad and includes gastrointestinal (GI) and non-GI causes for pain. Evaluation of patients requires a combination of history, physical examination, laboratory testing, and diagnostic imaging. This article details the anatomy and physiology of the right upper abdomen and approach to the history and physical examination of the most common diseases encountered in the emergency department. "Can't miss," non-GI diagnoses are discussed. Best practices of laboratory and imaging, and treatment of most common diagnoses of RUQ pain are reviewed.
authors.affiliation: Section of Emergency Medicine, University Medical Center, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, 2000 Canal Street, Room 2720, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA. Electronic address: Javegn@lsuhsc.edu.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Avegno
authors.affiliation: Section of Emergency Medicine, University Medical Center, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, 2000 Canal Street, Room 2720, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Carlisle
mesh_terms: D000005:Abdomen / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D001660:Biliary Tract Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D010182:Pancreatic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D010808:Physical Examination / Q000379:methods
keywords: Abdominal pain; Cholecystitis; Cholelithiasis; Diagnostic testing; Hepatitis; Pancreatitis; Physical examination; Treatment