Question

A 35-year-old-man with a long history of occasional bloody diarrhea and abdominal pain presents with acute onset severe abdominal pain. Vital signs are significant for a temperature of 39°C, heart rate 140, and blood pressure 82/55 mm Hg. On physical exam, his abdomen is distended and tympanic. Which of the following diagnostic studies is indicated first at this time?
A Abdominal radiographB Barium enemaC CT scan of the abdomen pelvis with IV contrastD Sigmoidoscopy

Answer 1

Answer:

The correct answer is option A. "Abdominal radiograph".

Explanation:

Abdominal radiograph, or abdominal x-ray, is a diagnosis tool at which an image of the abdominal cavity is obtained based on the exposure of a small dose of ionizing radiation. The patient described in the question could be suffering from different conditions based on its symptomatology. The first tool to help to make a proper diagnosis is to perform an abdominal radiograph, to see any internal evidence of the possible cause of the occasional bloody diarrhea and abdominal pain.