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Right Upper Quadrant Pain: Ultrasound First!
Author(s) -
Revzin Margarita V.,
Scoutt Leslie M.,
Garner Joseph G.,
Moore Christopher L.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
journal of ultrasound in medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.574
H-Index - 91
eISSN - 1550-9613
pISSN - 0278-4297
DOI - 10.1002/jum.14274
Subject(s) - medicine , gallstones , quadrant (abdomen) , radiology , ultrasound , modality (human–computer interaction) , abdominal pain , emergency department , surgery , computer science , human–computer interaction , psychiatry
Acute right upper quadrant (RUQ) pain is a common presenting symptom in emergency departments and outpatient medical practices, and is most commonly attributable to biliary and hepatic pathology. Ultrasound should be used as a first‐line imaging modality for the diagnosis of gallstones and cholecystitis, as it allows the differentiation of medical and surgical causes of upper abdominal pathology, and in many circumstances is sufficient to guide patient management. Knowledge of strengths and limitations of ultrasound in the evaluation of RUQ is paramount in correct diagnosis. A spectrum of RUQ pathology for which a RUQ ultrasound examination should reasonably be considered as the initial imaging modality of choice will be reviewed.