Seminars in ultrasound, CT, and MR
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Semin. Ultrasound CT MR · Oct 2008
ReviewComputed tomography in the nontraumatic renal causes of acute flank pain.
Renal colic pain due to obstructing stone is the main renal cause of acute flank pain. However, other causes may be responsible for the same clinical findings, including acute pyelonephritis, acute vascular conditions, and hemorrhage. The purpose of this review is to describe the differential diagnosis, the computed tomographic findings and pitfalls, and the role and impact of computed tomography in the diagnosis and management of the renal causes of acute flank pain.
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While omental infarction (OI) and acute epiploic appendagitis (AEA) often clinically mimic surgical abdomen, their management is distinct. As such, accurate and timely diagnosis is essential to follow medical management. Computed tomography and ultrasound imaging, utilized routinely in the evaluation of acute abdominal pain in the emergent setting, facilitate diagnosis and appropriate management of OI and AEA. The awareness of the clinical manifestations and imaging features of OI, AEA, and their mimics allow the radiologist to play a decisive role in triaging patients into surgical and medical management groups.