Investigations in abdominal trauma

The following investigation are often informative in patients with abdominal trauma:

• plain radiographs:
  • the erect chest permits the detection of small amounts of free gas in the abdomen
  • the abdominal may show fluid levels in paralytic ileus
    
    
• diagnostic peritoneal lavage
  
  
• ultrasound:
  • good for examining solid organs
  • can detect free fluid in the abdomen
    
    
• CT:
  • can detect free fluid in the abdomen
  • good for hepatic and splenic damage