MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Small bowel obstruction

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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.

Update Date: 9/11/2006

Updated by: Benjamin Taragin, M.D., Department of Radiology, Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center, New York, NY. Review Provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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