[Abdominal emergencies of infectious origin]

Area of Science:

• Medical imaging
• Abdominal diagnostics
• Infectious diseases

Background:

• Infectious diseases frequently present as acute abdominal conditions.
• Initial diagnosis relies on clinical evaluation and basic laboratory tests.
• Medical imaging plays a vital role in refining diagnoses based on clinical suspicion.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the utility of medical imaging in diagnosing infectious causes of acute abdomen.
• To outline the roles of specific imaging modalities in evaluating common abdominal infections.

Main Methods:

• Review of imaging modalities used in diagnosing infectious acute abdomen.
• Ultrasonography (US) for hepatic/splenic abscesses, acute cholecystitis, and appendicitis.
• Computed tomography (CT) for abscesses and guiding medical/surgical procedures.
• Barium enema in conjunction with US for sigmoid diverticulitis evaluation.

Main Results:

• Ultrasonography effectively demonstrates hepatic and splenic abscesses.
• Ultrasonography is the gold standard for diagnosing acute cholecystitis.
• US is valuable for appendicitis diagnosis and its complications.
• CT is definitive for determining appropriate medical or surgical interventions.

Conclusions:

• Medical imaging, particularly ultrasonography and computed tomography, is indispensable for diagnosing infectious acute abdomen.
• These imaging techniques provide critical information for effective patient management and treatment planning.