Uncommon Causes of Acute Abdominal Pain: Multidetector Computed Tomography Pearls and Pitfalls for the Radiologist on Call

Abstract

We review uncommon causes of acute abdominal pain in which inconclusive multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) studies were followed by emergency surgery and unexpected diagnoses. Despite dedicated protocols and technical advances, MDCT of uncommon causes of acute abdominal pain still represents a significant challenge for the radiologist on call. We emphasize diagnostic pearls and pitfalls that may help the radiologist on call identify or suspect these uncommon causes of acute abdominal pain on MDCT.