The use of prone films for suspected bowel obstruction in infants and children

Prone frontal and cross-table lateral views of the abdomen are recommended as most helpful in radiographic evaluation of infants and children suspected of having obstructive of nonobstructive ileus. A series of films in multiple projections is recommended to evaluate the gas in the large bowel, particularly the rectum. When studies must be limited, prone and left lateral decubitus views are recommended. In obstructive ileus, the collapsed rectum contains little or no air. Utilization of the prone view will often obviate the use of fluoroscopic contrast studies. The level of obstruction, as well as the cause, can often be determined by this plain film approach. Six cases are presented to illustrate these points.
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