Abdominal X-ray - System and anatomy
Introduction

Tutorial key points

  • Check the patient details
  • Assess quality
  • Systematically review bowel gas, soft tissues, bones and abnormal calcification

Related tutorials

Although anatomy of the abdomen is complicated, many structures are not clearly defined on a radiograph of the abdomen, and therefore cannot be fully assessed.

A systematic approach to abdominal X-ray interpretation is therefore relatively straightforward. This involves assessment of the bowel gas pattern, soft tissue structures, and bones. Full assessment includes a check of patient data, image quality, and checking for artifact and abnormal calcification.

This tutorial will discuss these steps.

Your course assessment certificate

A certificated course completion assessment is available which is based on the material in this tutorial and the related sections.

All the certificated online course completion assessments provided by Radiology Masterclass award CPD/CME credits in accordance with the CPD Scheme of the Royal College of Radiologists, London, UK.

Page author: Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust UK (Read bio)

Last reviewed: October 2019