What is a flat plate of the abdomen?
Flat plate is a historical term that refers to a past method of radiography when radiographs were recorded on flat plates of glass coated with an emulsion sensitive to x-rays. This examination also has been termed a plain abdominal radiograph, plain film of the abdomen, abdominal plain film, and KUB. KUB refers to the kidney, ureters, and bladder; this term is not preferred because the ureters are not visible on the plain radiograph, and other organs are visible. The term plain film of the abdomen is not accurate if the image is recorded either on a phosphor plate or directly by electronic means, stored electronically, and displayed on a monitor or plasma screen. No “film” is involved. The preferred terms are plain radiograph of the abdomen or plain abdominal radiograph .
