Abdominal X-rays for medical students / Christopher G.D. Clarke, MBChB, Anthony E.W. Dux, MB BS, FRCR.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Part 1 About X-rays 1 --What are X-rays? 1 --How are X-rays produced? 1 --How do X-rays make an image? 2 --How are X-ray images (radiographs) stored? 3 --Radiation hazards 3 --The Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations 3 --In women of reproductive age 3 --Indications for an abdominal X-ray 4 --Abdominal X-ray views 5 --AP Supine abdominal X-ray 5 --Other views 5 --Radiograph quality 6 --Inclusion 6 --Exposure 6 --Normal anatomy on an abdominal X-ray 8 --Right and left (Figure 7) 8 --Quadrants and regions (Figure 8) 8 --Abdominal viscera 1 (Figure 9) 8 --Abdominal viscera 2 (Figure 10) 9 --Skeletal structures (Figure 11) 10 --Pelvis (Figure 12) 10 --Lung bases (may be visualised at the top of the abdomen) (Figure 13) 11 --Bowel 1 (Figure 14) 11 --Bowel 2 (Figure 15) 12 --Presenting an abdominal radiograph 14 --Be systematic! 14 --Part 2 Overview of the ABCDE of abdominal radiographs 15 --A Air in the wrong place 16 --Pneumoperitoneum (gas in the peritoneal cavity) 21 --Pneumoretroperitoneum (gas in the retroperitoneal space) 26 --Pneumobilia (gas in the biliary tree) 28 --Portal venous gas (gas in the portal vein) 29 --B Bowel 17 --Dilated small bowel 30 --Dilated large bowel 34 --Volvulus 37 --Dilated stomach 40 --Hernia 41 --Bowel wall inflammation 43 --Faecal loading 48 --Faecal impaction 49 --C Calcification 18 --Gallstones in the gallbladder (cholelithiasis) 50 --Renal stones (urolithiasis) 53 --Bladder stones 56 --Nephrocalcinosis 57 --Pancreatic calcification 58 --Adrenal calcification 59 --Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) calcification 60 --Fetus 62 --Calcified structures of little clinical significance 63 --Calcified costal cartilage 63 --Phleboliths ( vein stones ) 63 --Calcified mesenteric lymph nodes 64 --Calcified uterine fibroids 65 --Prostate calcification 65 --Abdominal aortic calcification (normal calibre) 66 --Splenic artery calcification 66 --D Disability (bones and solid organs) 19 --Pelvic fractures 3 Polo rings test 67 --Sclerotic and lucent bone lesions 68 --Spine pathology 69 --Solid organ enlargement 71 --E Everything else 20 --Medical and surgical objects (iatrogenic) 73 --Surgical clips/staples/sutures 73 --Urinary catheter 75 --Supra-pubic catheter 75 --Nasogastric (NG) and nasojejunal (NJ) tubes 76 --Flatus tube 77 --Surgical drain 78 --Nephrostomy catheter 78 --Peritoneal dialysis (PD) catheter 79 --Gastric band device 79 --Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG)/radiologically inserted gastrostomy (RIG) 80 --Stoma bag 80 --Stents 81 --Inferior vena cava (IVC) filter 84 --Intra-uterine device (IUD) 85 --Pessary 85 --Foreign bodies 86 --Retained surgical swab 86 --Swallowed objects 87 --Objects inserted per-rectum (PR) 88 --Clothing artefact 90 --Piercings 90 --Body packer 91 --Lung bases 93 --Self-assessment questions 94 --Self-assessment answers 99 --Glossary 107 --Index 112