ANZ journal of surgery
-
ANZ journal of surgery · Jan 2012
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyLow-dose computed tomography versus plain abdominal radiography in the investigation of an acute abdomen.
To compare low-dose abdominal computed tomography (LDCT) with plain abdominal radiography (AR) in the primary investigation of acute abdominal pain to determine if there is a difference in diagnostic yield, the number of additional investigations required and hospital length of stay (LOS). ⋯ LDCT demonstrates a superior diagnostic yield over AR and reduces the number of subsequent imaging tests for a minimal cost in radiation exposure. However, there is no difference in the overall hospital LOS between the two imaging strategies.