Abdominal x-ray densities
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- updated 22 Aug 2022:
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Abdominal x-ray review is a key competency for medical students, junior doctors and other allied health professionals. Using ABDO X is a helpful and systematic method for abdominal x-ray review, where D refers to the assessment of dense structures such as the bones and areas of calcification.
Summary
-
introduction
- several bony structures are visible on an abdominal x-ray and should be evaluated carefully
- calcification may also be visible and may provide a clue as to the cause of the patient's symptoms and signs
-
procedure
- evaluate all of the bones visible on the x-ray as you would on any other x-ray
- look at the contours, density, trabecular pattern, areas of lysis or sclerosis
- you may see the lower thoracic vertebral bodies, all of the lumbar vertebral bodies, sacrum, iliac blades, ischium, femoral heads and necks, and lowest ribs
- Paget disease of the pelvis is frequently identified on abdominal x-rays
- examine the renal shadows and paths of the ureters for small densities which indicate stones
- gallstones are radiopaque in approximately 15-20% of cases
- small pelvic calcifications are likely to be phleboliths
- calcified lymph nodes are also sometimes identified
- other calcifications include:
- vascular, e.g. aorta, splenic artery, phleboliths
- uterine fibroids
- calcified mesenteric lymph nodes
- hepatic/splenic granuloma
- gluteal injection site granuloma
- encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis
- evaluate all of the bones visible on the x-ray as you would on any other x-ray
-<p><strong>Abdominal x-ray review</strong> is a key competency for medical students, junior doctors and other allied health professionals. Using <a href="/articles/abdominal-x-ray-review-abdo-x">ABDO X</a> is a helpful and systematic method for abdominal x-ray review, where D refers to the assessment of dense structures such as the bones and areas of calcification.</p><h4>Summary</h4><ul>-<li>-<strong>introduction</strong><ul>-<li>several bony structures are visible on an abdominal x-ray and should be evaluated carefully</li>-<li>calcification may also be visible and may provide a clue as to the cause of the patient's symptoms and signs</li>-</ul>-</li>-<li>-<strong>procedure</strong><ul>-<li>evaluate all of the bones visible on the x-ray as you would on any other x-ray<ul>-<li>look at the contours, density, trabecular pattern, areas of lysis or sclerosis</li>-<li>you may see the lower thoracic vertebral bodies, all of the lumbar vertebral bodies, sacrum, iliac blades, ischium, femoral heads and necks, and lowest ribs</li>-<li>-<a href="/articles/paget-disease-bone">Paget disease</a> of the pelvis is frequently identified on abdominal x-rays</li>-</ul>-</li>-<li>examine the renal shadows and paths of the ureters for small densities which indicate <a href="/articles/urolithiasis">stones</a>-</li>-<li>-<a href="/articles/gallstones-1">gallstones</a> are radiopaque in approximately 15-20% of cases</li>-<li>small pelvic calcifications are likely to be <a href="/articles/phlebolith-1">phleboliths</a>-</li>-<li>calcified lymph nodes are also sometimes identified</li>-<li>other calcifications include:<ul>-<li>vascular, e.g. aorta, splenic artery, <a href="/articles/phlebolith-1">phleboliths</a>-</li>-<li><a href="/articles/uterine-leiomyoma">uterine fibroids</a></li>-<li>calcified mesenteric lymph nodes</li>-<li>hepatic/<a href="/articles/splenic-granulomatous-disease">splenic granuloma</a>-</li>-<li><a href="/articles/gluteal-injection-site-granuloma">gluteal injection site granuloma</a></li>-<li><a href="/articles/encapsulating-peritoneal-sclerosis">encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis</a></li>-</ul>-</li>-</ul>-</li>- +<p><strong>Abdominal x-ray review</strong> is a key competency for medical students, junior doctors and other allied health professionals. Using <a href="/articles/abdominal-x-ray-review-abdo-x">ABDO X</a> is a helpful and systematic method for abdominal x-ray review, where D refers to the assessment of dense structures such as the bones and areas of calcification.</p><h4>Summary</h4><ul>
- +<li>
- +<strong>introduction</strong><ul>
- +<li>several bony structures are visible on an abdominal x-ray and should be evaluated carefully</li>
- +<li>calcification may also be visible and may provide a clue as to the cause of the patient's symptoms and signs</li>
- +</ul>
- +</li>
- +<li>
- +<strong>procedure</strong><ul>
- +<li>evaluate all of the bones visible on the x-ray as you would on any other x-ray<ul>
- +<li>look at the contours, density, trabecular pattern, areas of lysis or sclerosis</li>
- +<li>you may see the lower thoracic vertebral bodies, all of the lumbar vertebral bodies, sacrum, iliac blades, ischium, femoral heads and necks, and lowest ribs</li>
- +<li>
- +<a href="/articles/paget-disease-bone">Paget disease</a> of the pelvis is frequently identified on abdominal x-rays</li>
- +</ul>
- +</li>
- +<li>examine the renal shadows and paths of the ureters for small densities which indicate <a href="/articles/urolithiasis">stones</a>
- +</li>
- +<li>
- +<a href="/articles/gallstones-1">gallstones</a> are radiopaque in approximately 15-20% of cases</li>
- +<li>small pelvic calcifications are likely to be <a href="/articles/phlebolith-1">phleboliths</a>
- +</li>
- +<li>calcified lymph nodes are also sometimes identified</li>
- +<li>other calcifications include:<ul>
- +<li>vascular, e.g. aorta, splenic artery, <a href="/articles/phlebolith-1">phleboliths</a>
- +</li>
- +<li><a href="/articles/uterine-leiomyoma">uterine fibroids</a></li>
- +<li>calcified mesenteric lymph nodes</li>
- +<li>hepatic/<a href="/articles/splenic-granulomatous-disease">splenic granuloma</a>
- +</li>
- +<li><a href="/articles/gluteal-injection-site-granuloma">gluteal injection site granuloma</a></li>
- +<li><a href="/articles/encapsulating-peritoneal-sclerosis">encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis</a></li>
- +</ul>
- +</li>
- +</ul>
- +</li>
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Case 3: medullary nephrocalcinosis
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