Emergency radiology (body) Terms

CT abdomen

A diagnostic imaging technique that is increasingly used in patients with acute abdominal pain.

Intravenous contrast

Contrast agent administered intravenously in most acute abdominal scanning.

Oral contrast

Contrast given via nasogastric tube or by mouth prior to scan, useful for certain gastrointestinal conditions.

Acute abdomen

A medical emergency involving acute abdominal pain requiring immediate assessment.

Blunt abdominal trauma

Injury to the abdomen that may cause serious internal damage.

Compressive-type abdominal trauma

A mechanism of injury that causes vascular or solid organ injuries.

Deceleration-type trauma

Trauma that causes stretching or shearing vascular injuries due to rapid deceleration.

Hypotension

Low blood pressure, often associated with serious intra-abdominal injury.

Abdominal bruise

A sign of potential trauma or injury in the abdominal area.

Intravenous contrast agent

Substance used in medical imaging to enhance visibility of structures or fluids.

CECT

Contrast-enhanced computed tomography, indicating an imaging technique enhanced with contrast agents.

Mesenteric infarcts

Loss of blood supply to the mesentery, resulting in tissue death.

Liver abscess

A collection of pus in the liver, often due to bacterial infection.

Pelvic trauma

Injury to the pelvic region, often classified as blunt or penetrating.

Diaphragmatic injury

Damage to the diaphragm, potentially resulting from trauma.

Small bowel obstruction

A condition where there is a blockage in the small intestine.

Diverticulitis

Inflammation or infection of diverticula, which are small pouches that can form in the colon.

Pancreatic trauma

Injury to the pancreas, often associated with blunt trauma and can lead to severe complications.

Acute pancreatitis

Severe inflammation of the pancreas, causing abdominal pain and potential systemic complications.

Acute appendicitis

Inflammation of the appendix, commonly presenting with right lower quadrant pain.

Renal trauma

Injury to the kidneys, which may present with hematuria and abdominal pain.

Bladder trauma

Injury to the bladder, which can lead to intraperitoneal or extraperitoneal rupture.

Bowel perforation

A rupturing of the intestinal wall, leading to leakage of intestinal contents.

Acute inflammatory bowel disease

Acute flare-ups of chronic inflammatory conditions of the bowel, such as Crohn's disease.

Bowel ischemia

Insufficient blood flow to the intestine, which can cause tissue death.

Intra-abdominal hemorrhage

Bleeding within the abdominal cavity, requiring prompt evaluation.

Intra-abdominal collection

Accumulation of fluid within the abdominal cavity, often due to abscess formation.

Hounsfield number

A value used to express the density of tissues in CT imaging.

Pseudoaneurysm

An abnormal dilation in a blood vessel due to injury, which may lead to active bleeding.

Hematuria

Blood in the urine, a possible sign of urinary tract injury.

Urinary extravasation

Leakage of urine into surrounding tissues, often due to injury.

Peritoneal collection

Fluid accumulation in the peritoneal cavity, often indicating disease or trauma.

Contrast extravasation

Leaking of contrast agent out of blood vessels, indicative of vascular injury.

Fat stranding

A radiographic finding indicating inflammation, often surrounding an area of infection or abscess.

Fluid collections

Accumulations of fluid, often seen in cases of trauma or infection.

Hypoperfusion complex

A condition presenting during shock, characterized by diffuse bowel wall thickening.

Acute renal colic

Severe pain caused by kidney stones blocking the urinary tract.

Urinary tract stone

A calcified mass within the urinary system, often causing obstruction.

Extra-luminal contrast

Contrast agent that leaks outside of the intestinal lumen, indicating perforation.

Necrotizing fasciitis

A severe soft tissue infection that can occur in association with perforation.

Gallbladder empyema

Infection and accumulation of pus in the gallbladder.

Laparotomy

Surgical procedure involving an incision in the abdominal wall.

Hyperemia

Increased blood flow to a region, often seen in inflammation.

Vascular blush

Visible enhancement of vascular structures on imaging, indicating injury.

Clinical signs of shock

Symptoms indicating inadequate blood flow, such as hypotension and tachycardia.

Pneumothorax

Air in the pleural space that can compress lung tissue.

Collapsing diarrhea

An acute episode of uncontrolled diarrhea, often associated with infections.

Fistula

An abnormal connection between two organs, often resulting from disease or trauma.

Obstruction

A blockage that prevents normal flow through a body structure.

Abscess formation

Localized collection of pus due to infection.

Mesenteric ischemia

Condition caused by reduced blood flow to the small intestine.

Perforated ulcer

A complication of ulcers in the stomach or intestines leading to a hole in the wall.

Rigler’s triad

Classic signs of bowel obstruction that include pneumobilia.

Omental infarction

Death of omental tissue due to loss of blood supply, often seen on imaging.

Sepsis

A life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection.

Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP)

An imaging technique to visualize the biliary and pancreatic ducts.

Transmural necrosis

Death of tissue that spans the entire thickness of the wall of an organ.

Rebound tenderness

Pain that occurs when pressure is released from the abdomen, indicating peritonitis.

Neutropenic colitis

Infection and inflammation of the colon in patients with a low white blood cell count.

Pulmonary embolism

A blockage in one of the pulmonary arteries in the lungs.

Emphysematous cholecystitis

Acute gallbladder infection associated with gas formation.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis

A bacterium that causes tuberculosis, including the potential for extrapulmonary infection.

Prostate gland

Gland in the human male reproductive system that produces fluid that nourishes sperm.

Duodenal perforation

A rupture in the wall of the duodenum, leading to leakage of intestinal contents.

Free air

Presence of air in the abdominal cavity, hinting at perforation.

Edema

Swelling caused by excess fluid accumulation in tissues.

Immunosuppression

Reduction of the body's immune response, often due to disease or treatment.

Acidosis

A condition in which there is too much acid in the body fluids.

Duplicated colon

An abnormality where there are two colons or a part of the colon is duplicated.

Chemotherapy

A type of cancer treatment that uses drugs to kill cancer cells.

Radiology

Field of medicine that uses imaging technologies to diagnose and manage diseases.

Hematemesis

Vomiting of blood, often indicating upper gastrointestinal bleeding.

Ascites

Abnormal accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity.

Fibrosis

Formation of excess fibrous connective tissue in an organ.

Aneurysm

An abnormal bulge in a blood vessel due to weakness in the vessel wall.

Contrast-enhanced MRI

Magnetic resonance imaging that uses contrast agents to improve image clarity.

Anticoagulation

Treatment to reduce the formation of blood clots.

Hypercalcemia

An abnormally high level of calcium in the blood.