L'imagerie des urgences abdominales non traumatiques de l'adulte

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 require 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).