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Updated: May 24, 2026

Gastric Point of Care Ultrasound in Adults: Image Acquisition and Interpretation
Published on: September 22, 2023
Abdominal pain and two x-rays: spot the difference
Z Rajković1, D Papeš, S Altarac
1Zabok General Hospital, Croatia.
Abstract:
We present two patients with air found in the right upper quadrant on standard abdominal x-ray. One was diagnosed with pneumobilia and underwent elective surgery for a bilioenteric fistula. The other was diagnosed with portal vein gas and underwent an emergency exploratory laparotomy at which a superior mesenteric artery embolism was found. The differential diagnostic criteria for pneumobilia and portal vein gas are described. If portal venous gas is found on x-ray in patients with abdominal pain, it is recommended that management is aggressive, meaning an emergency exploratory laparotomy, because mortality in such cases is approximately 75%.
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