The expanded role of the barium enema in the evaluation of patients presenting with acute abdominal pain

• Published in: The Journal of emergency medicine Vol. 3; no. 2; pp. 93 - 100
• Main Authors: Doris, Peter E., Strauss, Robert W.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 1985; Elsevier
• Subjects: Abdomen, Acute - diagnostic imaging; acute abdominal pain; barium enema; Barium Sulfate; Biological and medical sciences; Colonic Diseases - diagnostic imaging; Gases; Gastroenterology. Liver. Pancreas. Abdomen; Humans; indeterminate bowel gas pattern; Intestinal Obstruction - diagnostic imaging; Intestines - physiology; Medical sciences; Other diseases. Semiology; Radiography; Stomach. Duodenum. Small intestine. Colon. Rectum. Anus; indeterminate bowel gas pattern; acute abdominal pain; barium enema; Human; Radiography; Pain; Radiodiagnosis; Abdominal disease; Acute; Digestive diseases; Diagnostic; Intestinal disease; Contrast enema; Colon; Abdomen
• ISSN: 0736-4679; 2352-5029
• DOI: 10.1016/0736-4679(85)90039-3

The role of the barium enema in theevaluation of patients with acute abdominal pain is well established. It is utilized in the diagnosis and treatment of several suspected clinical entities, including appendicitis, diverticulitis, intussusception, and volvulus. There is another group of patients in whom a vague clinical presentation and an indeterminate bowel gas pattern fail to clarify the diagnosis. The role of the barium enema has been expanded as an early diagnostic aid in the evaluation of these patients. Based on abdominal film findings, three patient categories are presented, in whom the early use of a “judicious” barium enema may safely and quickly contribute to the preoperative definition of the underlying disease process, allowing for the correct mode of therapy to be undertaken.