الفهرس 
Review of literatureOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
Acute abdominal pain is a common symptom for seeking urgent medical evaluation. The term ‘acute abdomen’ has historically referred to patients needing immediate surgical intervention, but it has broadened to include any patient experiencing acute pain to a degree that requires medical evaluation. The causes of acute abdomen are numerous and span the medical and surgical spectrum, with many etiologies identifiable using medical imaging. Indeed, radiology in the emergency department and the acute setting plays an important role in the diagnosis and workup of these patients.
We conclude that MDCT has higher sensitivity, specificity and accuracy rate in diagnosis of acute abdomen than ultrasonography. In inconclusive cases, MDCT is recommended to arrive at a definitive diagnosis. The results obtained in the study were comparable to pioneer studies conducted worldwide.
CT imaging, in the diagnosis, management and outcome of patients presenting with acute abdominal pain, is well established. In a minority of cases, the usefulness is limited by certain factors; for example, the use of noncontrast imaging due to contrast contraindication, the inability of MSCT to define the pathology and the variability in the interpretation of non-specific imaging findings. Awareness of these limiting factors is vital to both clinicians and radiologists in the diagnosis and management of these patients.
Sonography has the advantage of close patient contact, enabling assessment of the spot of maximum tenderness and the severity of illness without ionizing radiation especially in children, pregnant and gynecological emergencies.