Evidence map›Paper›PMID 26385800›Full record

SynthesisEuropean radiology2016

Diagnostic accuracy of low-dose CT compared with abdominal radiography in non-traumatic acute abdominal pain: prospective study and systematic review.

Muhammed Alshamari, Eva Norrman, Mats Geijer, Kjell Jansson, Håkan Geijer

Abstract readComparative StudySystematic Review
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in European radiology, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 22 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
22citing papers in PubMed
2.4field-weighted citation impact, top 12% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

22 citing papers in PubMed, 69 citations in OpenAlex.

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  3. [Diagnostic imaging of the small bowel].Radiologie (Heidelberg, Germany) · 2026
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Muhammed AlshamariDepartment of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, SE 701 85, Örebro, Sweden. muhammed.alshamari@regionorebrolan.se.
Eva NorrmanDepartment of Medical Physics, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden.
Mats GeijerDepartment of Medical Imaging and Physiology, Lund University and Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden.
Kjell JanssonDepartment of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden.
Håkan GeijerDepartment of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, SE 701 85, Örebro, Sweden.
Örebro University · SELund University · SE

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesAbdominal radiography is frequently used in acute abdominal non-traumatic pain despite the availability of more advanced diagnostic modalities. This study evaluates the diagnostic accuracy of low-dose CT compared with abdominal radiography, at similar radiation dose levels.

methodsFifty-eight patients were imaged with both methods and were reviewed independently by three radiologists. The reference standard was obtained from the diagnosis in medical records. Sensitivity and specificity were calculated. A systematic review was performed after a literature search, finding a total of six relevant studies including the present.

resultsOverall sensitivity with 95 % CI for CT was 75 % (66-83 %) and 46 % (37-56 %) for radiography. Specificity was 87 % (77-94 %) for both methods. In the systematic review the overall sensitivity for CT varied between 75 and 96 % with specificity from 83 to 95 % while the overall sensitivity for abdominal radiography varied between 30 and 77 % with specificity 75 to 88 %.

conclusionsBased on the current study and available evidence, low-dose CT has higher diagnostic accuracy than abdominal radiography and it should, where logistically possible, replace abdominal radiography in the workup of adult patients with acute non-traumatic abdominal pain. KEY POINTS: • Low-dose CT has a higher diagnostic accuracy than radiography. • A systematic review shows that CT has better diagnostic accuracy than radiography. • Radiography has no place in the workup of acute non-traumatic abdominal pain.

Indexed as

Abdominal PainAdultAgedAged, 80 and overDiagnostic ErrorsDiverticulitis, ColonicFemaleHernia, AbdominalHernia, InguinalHumansIntestinal ObstructionMaleMiddle AgedObserver VariationProspective StudiesRadiation DosageAbdomen, AcuteAbdominal painAbdominal radiographySensitivity and specificityX-ray computed tomography

Identifiers

PMID26385800
OpenAlexW1853773860

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.