Radiography of the abdomen

There are many reasons for performing examinations of the abdomen in children. Each indication requires that the technologist be familiar with the views that will best demonstrate the suspected pathological process present. It is worth remembering, at the outset, that the term ''flat plate of abdomen'' is one that is used rather loosely, and is often not the examination that the physician really wants, nor the one that the radiologist will accept without reservations. Therefore, before undertaking the study, the radiographer should ascertain whether the condition under consideration requires additional views. Before considering the indications for specific examinations, a brief review of some of the anatomical variations from the adult anatomy of the gastrointestinal and genitourinary tracts is in order