Small bowel obstruction - X-ray
X-rays of the abdomen are important in diagnosing the presence of small bowel obstruction. When obstruction occurs, both fluid and gas collect in the intestine. They produce a characteristic pattern called "air-fluid levels". The air rises above the fluid and there is a flat surface at the "air-fluid" interface.
Review Date: 09/11/2006
Reviewed By: Benjamin Taragin, M.D., Department of Radiology, Columbia
Presbyterian Medical Center, New York, NY. Review Provided by
VeriMed Healthcare Network.
