What issues or concerns do these plain films illustrate, about the abdominal radiograph?
1. Larger patients are difficult to visualise on a single radiograph. 2. A good plain abdominal radiograph should cover the obturator foramen to assess for potential hernia. 3. Fluid filled small bowel in obstruction is not well shown (see CT below for correlation) 4. It is insensitive to small volume perforation.
Dilated distal small bowel, in keeping with small bowel obstruction.