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Diagnostic Tools in ACS: CT Scan, Diagnostic Laparoscopy, and Exploratory Laparotomy

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CT Scan in Abdominal Emergency Surgery

Part of the book series: Hot Topics in Acute Care Surgery and Trauma ((HTACST))

Abstract

The abdomen is a black box of diagnostic uncertainty. There is an old surgical adage that goes “never let the skin come between you and the diagnosis.” However, it is just that: an old adage. The surgeon has many alternatives to employ in situations in which the clinical diagnoses, or decision to operate, are not straightforward. In this chapter, three primary modalities are discussed: computed tomography (CT) scanning, diagnostic laparoscopy (DL), and exploratory laparotomy (LAP).

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Hawaii Residency Program in General Surgery, Honolulu, HI, USA

    Ning Lu M.D.

  2. Acute Care Surgery, The Queen’s Medical Center, Honolulu, HI, USA

    Walter L. Biffl M.D.

  3. Department of Surgery, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii—Manoa, Honolulu, HI, USA

    Walter L. Biffl M.D.

Authors
  1. Ning Lu M.D.
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  2. Walter L. Biffl M.D.
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Walter L. Biffl M.D. .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Emergency and Trauma Surgery, Ospedale Maggiore di Parma Emergency and Trauma Surgery, Parma, Parma, Italy

    Fausto Catena

  2. Cambridge Colorectal Unit, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, United Kingdom

    Salomone Di Saverio

  3. General, Emergency and Trauma Surgery, Department Bufalini Hospital, Cesena, Italy

    Luca Ansaloni

  4. General, Emergency and Trauma Surgery Department, Bufalini Hospital, Cesena, Italy

    Federico Coccolini

  5. Department of Surgery, Macerata Hospital, Macerata, Italy

    Massimo Sartelli

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Lu, N., Biffl, W.L. (2018). Diagnostic Tools in ACS: CT Scan, Diagnostic Laparoscopy, and Exploratory Laparotomy. In: Catena, F., Di Saverio, S., Ansaloni, L., Coccolini, F., Sartelli, M. (eds) CT Scan in Abdominal Emergency Surgery. Hot Topics in Acute Care Surgery and Trauma. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-48347-4_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-48347-4_1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-48346-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-48347-4

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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