[Anatomical basis of abdominal cavity radiology (author's transl)]

The interpretation of the blank abdominal roentgenogram is made easier by the knowledge of radiological aspects of limits between peritoneal and retroperitoneal compartments. This knowledge rests on the images, often faintly contrasted, provided by ligaments, mesotheria, fascias and boundary muscles defined by opposition to the fatty layers that frequently stress their contours. In this work, we have defined the inferior (pelvis) and lateral (paracolic sinuses) contours of the abdominal cavity, some singularities of the compartments above and below the mesocolon and also mesenteric connexions. The importance of these structures for differential diagnosis of fluid or gas collections and abscesses (origin, location, propagation) is illustrated. The normal and pathological radiological aspects of the three retroperitoneal compartments (perirenal, pararenal anterior and posterior) and their projection area on the film were demonstrated. As the radiological demonstration of all these structures depends on the conditions of the investigation, we have tried with a material comprising 300 cases, to define the technical conditions and plan of observation that appear most favorable.