Abdomen

Ischemic colitis means that the colon is inflamed because of diminished blood flow.   It is more common in older individuals.  Patients can present with abdominal pain and bloody stools….

Abdominal MRI is not necessarily a better test for abdominal pain.   Abdominal MRI is more commonly used to answer more specific questions or further evaluate abnormalities found on other…

Non specific non obstructive bowel gas pattern means the radiologist does not think that there is a bowel blockage based on the X-ray appearance.  The radiologist does believe that the…

Stool in the colon on X-ray can often be seen.  It is seen as speckled material along the periphery of the abdomen where the colon is located.    Excessive stool…

KUB X-ray stands for kidney, ureter and bladder X-ray.   This is an X-ray that may be the first step in diagnosing a condition of the urinary tract.  It is…

Abdominal MRI is a test used to evaluate the abdomen in detail.  The test uses no radiation unlike CT scans.  It is a longer test than CT and may take…

Multiple hypodense liver lesions on CT means that there are multiple darker than liver spots found.  Hypodense means darker than the organ or region the abnormality is in.   Lesion…

Bleeding in the abdomen can occur from a variety of causes which CT can often identify.   Blood on CT will be brighter than simple fluid.  The bleeding can be…

The best test to evaluate the gallbladder is usually an ultrasound.  While many other imaging tests are able to identify abnormalities, ultrasound is the best test to evaluate for gallstones,…

Timed esophogram procedure is done to evaluate how the esophagus empties.  It is often ordered for Achalasia.  I have seen it ordered for other conditions such as eosinophilic esophagitis.  …

Fluid around the liver on CT has many different causes.  Often times, the history and imaging appearance of the fluid can narrow down the possibilities.  The fluid can be simple…