Role of a plain X ray in the era of fast CT scanners
Plain abdominal radiographs are helpful when patients require serial studies, such as patients undergoing decompression for small bowel obstruction or follow-up for resolution of postoperative adynamic ileus. Plain radiographs are also helpful in determining positions of various tubes placed in the abdomen. If there is any question, however, that a tube tip is not within its expected location, a contrast study is performed.
Plain radiographs may be valuable in patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) who are too seriously ill to move. The physicians have to balance the risk of patient transport from the ICU to the CT scanner to obtain greater information obtained by a CT scan with the mediocre diagnostic capability but high safety level of a plain abdominal radiograph obtained with portable radiographic equipment. In situations that require extreme speed, a CT scan without the use of either oral or intravenous contrast material still provides much more information than a plain abdominal radiograph.
