The importance of radiography in the acute abdomen: a narrative review

Abstract

Objective: To describe the clinical picture of the acute abdomen and understand the generalities that make radiography such an important exam. Bibliographic review: The acute abdomen is a complex medical emergency and can be subdivided into five distinct forms and have secondary causes and need to be identified for an adequate therapeutic approach and improvement of the patient's clinical status and subsequent blockage to the advancement of morbidity and mortality. In a suspected case of acute abdomen, the pioneer exam is radiography, which, although not very specific, due to its high accessibility, low cost and practicality, is still very important and requested for the management of the acute abdomen, and may be of the type inflammatory, perforative, obstructive, hemorrhagic or vascular and when accompanied by a detailed clinical history, it helps in the diagnostic accuracy and also in the pathological estimation in a short period of time. Final considerations: Even with the introduction of developed imaging methods, radiography (x-ray) remains very useful for detecting aspects that, isolated or associated, are of great diagnostic value and result in a more precise and earlier clinical delineation.