CHEST ROENTGEN FINDINGS OF SUBDIAPHRAGMATIC ABSCESS WITH ANTIBIOTIC THERAPY

¹ Associate Professor of Radiology

1. Subdiaphragmatic abscesses occur in patients adequately treated with antibiotics, but the antibiotics may mask the symptoms of the abscess.

2. Roentgenologic findings can be the first indication of a subphrenic suppurative process. A patient without improvement following surgery, or deteriorating, usually has a chest roentgenogram as a part of evaluation; therefore, it is important to recognize sentinel thoracic findings of subdiaphragmatic infection.

3. The most useful roentgenologic procedure in establishing a suspected diaphragmatic abscess is fluoroscopy of the diaphragm with a barium swallow study. This technique probably should be employed in all suspicious cases. Radioisotope scanning is useful to confirm the diagnosis.

4. The primary predisposing etiology noted in the study was abdominal trauma. The most significant organism noted was Escherichia coli.

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