Role of CT in Evaluation of Nontraumatic Acute Abdomen

Abstract

Background: The term Acute Abdomen refers to any clinical condition characterised by severe abdominal pain that develops over a period of hours. For diagnosing the cause of acute abdomen, CT is superior to clinical evaluation, basic laboratory investigations and inconclusive imaging examination regardless of duration of signs and symptoms. Aim and Objectives:-To establish the role of CT in diagnosis of aetiology of acute abdominal pain & to quantify the degree to which CT and clinical findings correlate.Subjects and Methods: 50 patients of suspected acute abdomen; established by clinical findings and subsequent course referred to department of Radiodiagnosis and Imaging, Muzaffarnagar Medical College and Hospital, Muzaffarnagar, for CT scan during the period of 14th NOV 2017 to 31st march 2019, comprised the material for the present study which fulfilled the inclusion criteria and do not come under the ambit of exclusion criteria. The usual CT scan protocol comprised of contiguous 5mm transaxial sections from dome of diaphragm to pubic symphysis after administration of oral and intravenous contrast media. Serial CT sections of abdomen was obtained in each case using spiral CT scanner Siemens Somatom Emotions 16 slice.Results:The collective data was analysed for CT findings of non-traumatic group which presented clinically as acute abdomen. The total number of cases analysed was 50.Conclusion: Computed tomography is an important modality in the evaluation of acute abdomen for grading the severity of disease.