Ver el código de «Acute abdominal series»

==Technique==
3 Films:
#Upright chest film
#*Rule-out free air
#Upright abdominal film
#*Look for air-fluid levels
#Supine abdominal film (''KUB = just supine film'')
#*Width of bowel loops most visible (estimate of amount of distention)

''If patient does not tolerate upright position, left lateral decubitus abdominal film can substitute''

==Interpretation==
<gallery mode="packed">
File:Medical X-Ray imaging ALP02 nevit.jpg|Normal
File:SBO plain.png|[[Small bowel obstruction]]
File:Cecalvolvulus.png|Large bowel obstruction (Cecal [[volvulus]]; black arrows).
File:Free air under diaphram.png|Free intra-abdominal air below the diaphragm.
File:Abdominal foreign body.png|Body-packing with multiple foreign bodies ("balls" of hashish).
File:Battery in stomach.png|[[Esophageal foreign body|Button battery in stomach.]]
File:StonesXray.png|[[Gallstones]] (not sensitive)
File:Toxisches Megacolon bei Colitis ulcerosa.jpg|[[Toxic megacolon]]
File:Rectal_fb.JPG|[[Rectal foreign body]]
</gallery>

===Differentiating large and small bowel===
{| class="wikitable"
| align="center" style="background:#f0f0f0;"|'''Location'''
| align="center" style="background:#f0f0f0;"|'''Size'''
| align="center" style="background:#f0f0f0;"|'''Lines'''
|-
| Small bowel||3 cm||All the way through the bowel (plica circulares) 
|-
| Colon||6 cm||Only halfway through the bowel (haustra)
|-
| Cecum||9 cm||
|}

===[[Small bowel obstruction]]===
*Air in colon or rectum makes complete obstruction less likely (esp if symptoms >24hr)
*Abdominal x-ray has poor Sn and Sp for [[SBO]]
**If concerned need CT

==Indications==
*Ruling out free air under the diaphragm (e.g. perforated ulcer)
*Ruling out radio-opaque abdominal foreign body (e.g. swallowed battery)
*Ruling '''in''' bowel obstruction (i.e. to avoid need for subsequent CT scan)

;Do NOT use as the sole study to rule out bowel obstruction (poor sensitivity)
;Do NOT use to rule out generalized peritonitis (almost no sensitivity for diagnoses such as [[appendicitis]])
;Do NOT use to diagnose constipation (many patient with acute abdomen will have "copious stool")

==Incidental findings==
*[[Gallstones]] (not always radiodense)

==See Also==
*[[Abdominal pain]]

[[Category:GI]]
[[Category:Radiology]]