The acute right lower quadrant: CT evaluation.

Department of Radiology, Abdominal Imaging, New York University Medical Center, Medical Center, Tisch Hospital, 560 First Avenue, Suite HW 207, New York, NY 10016, USA. michael.macari@med.nyu.edu

Acute right lower quadrant pain is a nonspecific but common clinical complaint. Appendicitis is the most common cause of acute right lower quadrant pain and CT has become the most reliable imaging method in the evaluation of these patients. Although there is controversy regarding the best way to perform CT in this setting, oral and i.v. contrast-enhanced CT remains the most commonly used technique. CT with oral and i.v. contrast material facilitates diagnosis of appendicitis and the numerous other entities that may cause right lower quadrant pain.

PMID: 14661661 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]